Real Travel Reviews of Wendy Perrin’s WOW List Travel Experts

Travelers Just Back: Real Reviews That Show The WOW List Works

Wondering what a WOW trip looks like? Read the trip reviews below, all written in your fellow travelers’ own words. WOW trips are custom-tailored exactly to your interests, maximizing your experience, minimizing logistics, whisking you past lines, and avoiding crowds (yes, even this summer in Europe—read on to see how that’s possible).

Learn how to get your own WOW trip. Then, browse our WOW List of Trusted Travel Experts to find the right specialist for the trip you’re dreaming of. If you’d like help figuring out where to go or how to plan it, write to Ask Wendy. And you’ll find lots of other ideas in our other compilations of traveler reviews.

Malta: Ancient Temples, Wartime History, and Local Encounters

WOW trip traveler Kay Reiboldt and her husband Max soaked in the Malta sun and war history, including this iconic military vehicle.

My husband and I were celebrating his 75th birthday in Sicily and Malta. Damon and his team organized one of our most favorite trips. We were concerned about taking the ferry from Sicily to Malta, and Damon went to the ferry to check all things out to make sure we would be comfortable and then met us upon our arrival in Malta. Damon is very hands-on and will show up to say hi at any moment. The guides and drivers were just perfect for the days!

Malta is totally unlike Sicily and is full of so much history, especially regarding WW II. The Lascaris War Rooms were so interesting and the WOW Moment given to us by Wendy and organized by Damon was an extension of WW II information. After a very interesting visit with a small wine producer (which was also very informative), Damon was there to take us to meet Simon, the owner of Bessie, a WW II jeep that he had completely restored. He then took us to his house where he has a collection of WW II information and items, many of which have been given to him because the givers have asked him to keep their experiences in the minds of generations to come.

We not only had the opportunity to taste the foods of Malta, but to do so in unique ways. Our rustic farmer’s lunch was on the property (not house) of the owner. There was table and good food in the middle of an olive orchard. A surprise there was a presentation of early musical and communication items used by locals throughout the years.

The Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples are definitely something to see and contemplate their being older than the Pyramids and Stonehenge.

I could go on and on, and will go back and take the family and will look forward to it being planned by Damon. Wendy, thank you for finding this re

To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached

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Scotland: Hiking Through Highlands and Dramatic Landscapes with an Expert Private Guide

Hikes enjoyed by WOW trip traveler Meghan White and her husband were enhanced by a knowledgeable guide.

My husband and I took a 10-day anniversary trip to Scotland at the end of September beginning of October. We worked with Rachael to plan the trip and we gave her some ideas of what we were looking for: unique experiences, 4 star accommodations, our budget, what we liked (Harry Potter, being outdoors and active, eating good food, enjoying an adult beverage, history and walking tours) and what we didn’t like (museums, tourist traps).

The itinerary was sent soon thereafter and perfectly balanced by seeing different regions of Scotland but not traveling too much, and we loved our accommodations in each place (Edinburgh, Cairngorms in the Highlands, Isle of Skye, and Glencoe). The best part of our trip was our private guide who joined us after Edinburgh. Mark was amazing! He was an avid outdoorsman and really made our trip special in the hikes, advice, best locations for photos, adding something to the itinerary that was nearby, saving us from driving the narrow roads, knowledge of the history and wildlife in the regions. 10/10 for our experience.

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Panama: Monkey Encounters, Mountain Hikes, and a Magical Dinner in Boquete

WOW trip traveler Wendi Berkowitz especially appreciated the care that went into planning their activities throughout Panama’s ecosystem.

Panama Trip, September-October 2026

Pierre, along with his colleague Michael, arranged a two-week, three-location trip to Panama for a friend and me. The trip was, almost universally, exactly what we had asked for and at the same time, far beyond our (admittedly high) hopes for the adventure.

The assistance they provided to us was comprehensive, including advice on which areas and how many of them to visit (given the off-season timing, the amount of time we had available, and considering travel time between locations and sufficient time to explore the areas chosen), hotels, possible activities, and which guides to use, as well as providing on-the-ground communication and support, as needed.

We were especially appreciative of all the care Pierre, Michael and their team devoted to finding us the perfect places to stay. La Compania in Panama City is a very, very special place and we would have been happy to stay there even longer if time had permitted; the Panamonte hotel in Boquete was just lovely, and the gardens are beyond beautiful; and La Coralina in Bocas del Toro is a gorgeous property. The materials so carefully reassembled from their far-away point of origin are a work of art, and the jungle surrounding the resort is incredible.

As well, it was clear as we were enjoying our adventure that an equal amount of care had been employed to plan activities that we would greatly enjoy given our stated preferences, and that would provide the maximum amount of variety so that we could avail ourselves of the many wonderful features of this beautiful country. In our two-week trip, we were able to visit Panama City (including excursions to the Panama Canal, Gatun Lake, and an Embera village, as well as enjoy a walking tour of Casco Viejo and a food and culture tour); Boquete and its surrounding area (including fabulous hikes in the jungle, a coffee plantation tour and tasting, and a beautiful dinner experience at a family-run hacienda); and Bocas del Toro (for the Caribbean water-based portion of the trip, including some beautiful snorkeling and beach experiences).

We appreciated Pierre’s frank discussions with us about the (unpredictable) weather this time of year, which were perfectly pitched to ensure that we were prepared for any eventuality, though we got extremely lucky in that we had many, many days with enough sunshine for us to fully enjoy our planned activities, and the rain, when it did come, did not slow us down more than prudence (given the heat) would otherwise dictate.

Pierre, Michael and the team’s on-the-ground knowledge of the best local tour companies was invaluable. We want to make a special mention of our fantastic guides, by name, as they genuinely made our trip. In particular, Alex in Boquete, Oliver in Panama City (Gatun Lake), Daly in Panama City (food and culture tour), and Juan in Panama City (Panama Canal, Embera Village), and Christian in Bocas del Toro (along with skippers Matteo and Ricardo), and Carl at the coffee plantation—we loved them all!

I think if we had to pick a peak experience amongst all of the many highlights of this trip, it would be the dinner at Hacienda Mamecillo, hosted by Ronaldo and Gabriela. What an incredible evening we had —the two of them and their darling family were so warm and welcoming; the food was beyond fabulous; their story is interesting and inspiring; and their home is a marvel. It was raining hard the night of our visit so we were unable to tour the grounds, but our experience was no less magical.

First runner up for the “most memorable moments” prize is probably a four-way tie between (1) our “backstage” tour of the canal—this really is a must-do, particularly when a ship is coming through, (2) Gatun Lake, which gave us some up close and personal monkey experiences (among other wildlife sightings), thanks to Oliver and our amazing panga boat skipper (sorry, we have forgotten his name) who seemed to know exactly where to go to find the monkeys (we spent time with all three types) and how to maneuver the boat to best advantage; other boats were constantly following us instead of the other way around (and then we escaped them altogether!); (3) our hikes in Boquete with Alex, who is an absolutely fantastic spotter and also a lovely human being; and (4) our final snorkel adventure with Christian and Ricardo, at Mangrove Point, where we floated in glass-smooth water amongst abandoned pylons encrusted with a dizzying array of corals and the fish living among them.

The only real wrinkle in our trip occurred on the day before we were set to depart for home. We were in Bocas del Toro, scheduled for an early afternoon flight back to Panama City. As one delay piled on top of another, and our departure time was pushed back one, two, four, and then eventually seven hours from the originally set take-off, we began to worry that we might not get back to Panama City at all that night, which would then also necessitate our re-booking our international flights home and at least an extra day (and night) in Panama. This is where another aspect of the “real value” of a trip specialist comes in. We knew that the team was keeping close watch on everything and keeping us as informed as they could, and that “live bodies” stood ready to help us with alternate arrangements had they been necessary to implement. This made a stressful experience much more manageable, and is one of the many reasons I use Wendy Perrin experts to help plan my itineraries.

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Slovenia, Croatia & Montenegro: Exploring the Balkans’ Natural and Cultural Treasures

BETH ANN WAHL AND JACK KOLPEN | OCTOBER 14, 2026

The historic old town harbor in Rovinj, Croatia. Photo: WOW trip traveler Beth Ann Wahl

We have just returned from a 17-day journey through the Balkans, thoughtfully arranged by Ala and her colleague Izabel. Beginning in Slovenia and concluding in Montenegro, our adventure was filled with breathtaking scenery, fascinating history, rich cultural traditions, exceptional accommodations, and unforgettable experiences.

From the outset, the team worked closely with us to create an itinerary that reflected our interests and travel preferences. Their thoughtful recommendations for hotels, restaurants, activities, and knowledgeable local guides transformed what would undoubtedly have been a wonderful vacation into an exceptional journey.

In Slovenia, we explored the charming and ever-evolving capital of Ljubljana, marveled at the almost impossibly beautiful setting of Lake Bled, and descended into the extraordinary subterranean world of the Škocjan Caves. It was a spectacular introduction to a part of Europe that deserves far more attention than it typically receives.

The majority of our journey was spent in Croatia, following the magnificent Adriatic coastline, first through the enchanting Istrian Peninsula and then south along the breathtaking Dalmatian coast.

In Istria, we fell in love with Rovinj, where the old town rises dramatically above the harbor and sunsets over the Adriatic are nothing short of mesmerizing. Excursions to ancient Roman sites, a medieval hilltop village, and a picturesque coastal town revealed a region rich in history, culture, and natural beauty.

Continuing south into Dalmatia, we arrived in Split, a city where nearly two thousand years of history are woven into everyday life. We explored the remarkable palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, wandering through ancient passageways, courtyards, and monumental structures that remain very much a part of this living city.

One of the highlights of our entire trip, specially arranged by the planning team, was a private, curator-led visit to the magnificent Meštrović Gallery, where we marveled at the extraordinary works of Croatia’s celebrated sculptor, Ivan Meštrović. And, lest you think our interests were entirely cultural, we also treated ourselves to what may well be the best gelato in the world at Gelateria Emiliana (an absolute MUST for anyone visiting Split!) Split was a wonderful reminder that some of the greatest travel experiences come from the unexpected combination of history, art, architecture, and life’s simpler pleasures.

Our journey continued to the beautiful island of Hvar, where sparkling turquoise waters, charming stone villages, spectacular coastal scenery, and a leisurely day on the Adriatic created an entirely different atmosphere. From there, we made our way to Dubrovnik, one of Europe’s most visually dramatic cities, with its imposing medieval walls, gleaming limestone streets, and extraordinary setting between the mountains and the sea.

I cannot move on without mentioning how much we enjoyed our accommodations at Villa Dubrovnik. Perched above the Adriatic, with stunning views and exceptional service, this remarkable property is truly a gem of a hotel and well worth the splurge.

Finally, our travels brought us to Montenegro, where dramatic mountains plunge into the waters of the Bay of Kotor, providing a fittingly spectacular conclusion to our adventure. Notwithstanding Mother Nature’s teardrops and a boat excursion canceled because of inclement weather, the scenery was magnificent. Our accommodations at the One&Only Portonovi offered yet another example of Ala’s ability to identify truly special places to stay.

Throughout the journey, expert planning proved invaluable, particularly when it came to coordinating the sometimes complicated transfers between destinations. Traveling through several countries over 17 days involves a great many moving parts, yet our trip unfolded smoothly, with only a few minor mishaps along the way.

And when something did go amiss, the team’s local coordinator was immediately on the case, working quickly to resolve the issue or devise a Plan B. Knowing that someone was always looking out for us provided a welcome measure of reassurance, allowing us to concentrate on enjoying the journey rather than worrying about the logistics.

We returned home with wonderful memories, thousands of photographs, and a deep appreciation for the care, creativity, and expertise that made this journey possible.

Our sincere thanks to Ala, Izabel, and the entire team for helping make this such a memorable adventure.

Follow our journey through the Balkans in 2026, including photographs, stories, and reflections from along the way, at YouDontKnowJackTravels.com.

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Portugal: From After-Hours Palace Access to a Surprise Performance in the Alentejo

A trip highlight: WOW trip travelers Bill and Cathy Bartholomay zip around Lisbon, sightseeing on their own trolley.

We recently returned from a seven-day trip to Portugal (9/21/26 – 9/28/26). Our plan was to get a unique “taste of Portugal” within a relatively short time frame, and the itinerary curated by our travel planners, Joana and Sophia, was extraordinary.

From the moment we landed and were expedited through customs at LIS, our time in Portugal unfolded as a series of extraordinary highlights. From Lisbon to Porto, our drivers and guides were personable and knowledgeable; in fact some of the best we have ever had. Our lodging was first rate, and the recommended restaurants we selected offered a variety of fresh seafood, black Iberian pork, and other tasty local dishes, often accompanied with a side of breathtaking vistas.

Even with an unusual fall heat wave pushing temperatures into the upper 90s, we were able to make adjustments to our itinerary and guides to get the most out of each experience.

Some of our personal favorites include:

• Touring Lisbon in our own trolley

• The private fado performance in the cistern beneath the Príncipe Real Garden

• Our private cruise down the Tagus River for lunch at Mare, before continuing to Sintra and the stunning Pena Palace for private after-hours access

• The guided walking tour through the beautiful Santar Vila Jardim

• The private tour and tasting at Taylor’s

• And the hauntingly beautiful Wendy Perrin WOW Moment when, while enjoying a light picnic dinner on the grounds of São Lourenço do Barrocal, we were surprised by a Cante Alentejano choir that serenaded us with a singing style unique to southern Portugal.

A serenade by a Cante Alentejano choir during a serene WOW Moment treat. Photo: Bill Bartholomay

Joana and Sophia molded a quick seven-day trip into a collection of unforgettable memories. They made adjustments as necessary, and while not intrusive, we were aware of their behind-the-scenes efforts to ensure that every aspect of our itinerary was executed as designed. We highly recommend them!

Listen to the choir’s serenade!

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Switzerland: Exploring Alpine Villages, Mountain Landscapes, and Swiss Traditions

WOW trip travelers Kathie and Ted Embacher tried their hands at playing the alphorn at the top of Mt. Rigi.

Ana and Simon created one of our very favorite adventures ever planning our trip to Switzerland from September 22-October 7. In our pre-travel conference, they REALLY LISTENED to what our travel preferences are and hit every one of them! Our guides were all so extraordinary in their knowledge, talents, and access to areas we could have never found on our own. We feel that after spending a little over two weeks in Switzerland that we really have a feel of the various regions of the country with a mix of city, village, lake, and mountain experiences. Every day provided a WOW!

We were able to make a watch in Zurich, help a bell smith create cowbells in Appenzell, visit the fabulous St. Gallen library, see up close/in the tower the workings of the Astronomical Clock in Bern, tour Adelboden with the mayor, and experience a waterfall IN a mountain in Lauterbrunnen! We saw glaciers for the first time both here and in wonderful Zermatt, where the Matterhorn was a part of every adventure as we hiked over seven miles in the Alps to four of the beautiful lakes, and had an amazing lunch in the mountains with a fabulous view of the Matterhorn. Gornergrat provided another unique ride on a cogwheel train with an Alpine fondue lunch looking at the Matterhorn while a Swiss band played 15 feet from our table. We even made Matterhorn chocolates in Zermatt. We also experienced e-bikes for the first time with a 26-mile journey in the Alps seeing tiny villages, rivers, waterfalls, valleys, and beautiful mountain views. Again, lunch was in one of these tiny villages at a local restaurant! In Ascona, we also were surprised by a fall festival taking place by the lake one day and a jazz concert in our hotel right below our window! When we thought we had done it all, in Lucerne, we were treated to a lesson on the alphorn at the top of Mt. Rigi followed by a hike with a wonderful St. Bernard named Leo.

We also had enough time to explore on our own, and all of our hotels were well located for exploring! The food and staff were excellent in each.

Everything went totally smoothly and using the compact printed itinerary provided by Nina and Simon helped to make each day go seamlessly. We cannot recommend them enough if your wish is to visit Switzerland and really SEE and EXPERIENCE the country!

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Paris: Museum Visit With a Perfect Cheese Pairing, Living Like Royalty Within Versailles

WOW trip travelers Sonja Haggert and Brian enjoy dinner at Le Grand Contrôle.

Overall, the trip to Paris and Versailles was wonderful. September is a lovely time to be in Paris. Jennifer introduced Brian and me to the Meet and Greet at the airport on a previous trip, and we will no longer be without it. All our arrangements were perfectly coordinated and flawless. Another couple, Bob and Diane, joined us, but on a different schedule, and their arrangements were also perfect and appreciated. One night we were running late for dinner and contacted Jennifer. At 7:30 at night, they got right back to us, contacted the restaurant, Jais, and we were texted that the restaurant could still accommodate us. So glad because it was a wonderful choice.

Anyone going to Paris who likes cheese (excuse me, who doesn’t?) should visit the Musée du Fromage (cheese museum). Jennifer arranged for a tasting that was literally out of this world. Gabriello paired 12 different cheeses with wines he personally selected. Thanks to Jennifer’s involvement, it was a memorable experience.

When we read that you could actually stay at Versailles, we knew we wanted to do this. Many aspects of the visit were phenomenal. The private visit to Marie Antoinette’s bedroom and beyond. Being alone in the Hall of Mirrors for a photo op. The semi-private tour around the estate, and seeing a rock formation that Marie used as her private fantasy escape. It was great fun riding the golf cart provided to tour the grounds by ourselves, and enjoying a marvelous lunch on the patio.

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Italy: A Luxurious Land-and-Sea Escape from Taormina to the Aeolian Islands

WOW trip traveler Andy Shapiro and family visit ancient Taormina during the land portion of their adventure.

My family and I have been doing WOW trips for almost ten years. We knew this would be our most challenging WOW trip experience requiring two separate WOW experts to help us… one by land and the other by sea. It was our first trip where our children—our son, 29 years old, living in Los Angeles was bringing his significant other, and our daughter, 27 years old, recently engaged, bringing her fiancé—so my wife and I wanted this trip to be extra special. Moreover, my wife has been battling some health issues so after receiving medical clearance to travel, we wanted to be smart and strategic with the trip we chose that would be comfortable and flexible for my wife while at the same time provide a fun and fascinating travel adventure.

We’d done the private yacht trip for a week in both Greece and the British Virgin Islands, and my daughter thought that would be an excellent type of trip for everyone. We liked being unpacked and settled in one location, the yacht, for a week. Also, my wife could participate in any land excursions that she was up for or just enjoy the views and time on the yacht. We reached out to a WOW List yacht broker who thought the Aeolian Islands would be perfect for late September/early October.

With decades of travel experience all over the globe, we’ve learned the importance of having a few relaxed days to recover and acclimate after a long travel day or two and a significant time zone difference. It was at this time we enlisted our WOW List Sicily land experts Matteo and Marcello. In 2019, my wife and I did a 10-day Sicily trip that Marcello and Matteo planned for us that was phenomenal. We explained to Marcello and Matteo our situation, and so far, what our plans were with a private yacht Aeolian Islands adventure. Matteo knew that the private yachts for the Aeolian Islands embark and disembark at port Capo d’Orlando, and the time for each was usually noon. Knowing how we like to travel (i.e. luxuriously! Lol!) from the 2019 Sicily trip they planned—and knowing that Capo d’ Orlando has no really nice hotels to stay in—Matteo suggested we stay in Taormina for three nights, since we did not spend much time there on our last Sicily trip. In addition, Matteo explained, “Taormina with a 2,500-year history is a stunning cliffside resort town famous for its dramatic views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna; its vibrant pedestrianized main street with historic palazzos, upscale boutiques and great restaurants; its several five-star hotels; and is only a two-hour drive from Capo d’ Orlando. It would be a great choice for pre-yacht relaxation and travel recovery time.” Brilliant! We loved the idea!

We ultimately selected the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace Hotel (yes, this is where they filmed “The White Lotus” Season 2) for our three nights pre-yacht land hotel. It’s a small fortune but was worth every euro! Everything about this hotel is extraordinary… spectacular infinity pool with panoramic views of the 3rd-century BC Greek-Roman theater, Ionian Sea, and Mount Etna; exquisite rooms and common areas; exemplary concierge, staff and housekeeping; fantastic breakfast; and of course… just a short walk from the main street in Taormina. Simply, FANTASTIC!

One important land component that was especially complicated—and we were so glad we had a WOW List expert arranging it for us—was all our transfers. Our kids and their significant others were flying in from Los Angeles and New York, and a day after my wife and I arrived. For various reasons we had to arrange one-night stays in Palermo for the kids, and the hotel Matteo selected in the heart of Palermo was perfect. We required a total of nine different transfers (i.e. different airports, hotels, port drop off and pick-ups, etc.) In some cases, our flights were late, canceled, or rescheduled to depart earlier. It was so comforting to know that our WOW List expert Matteo was aware of everything, and in every situation in real time was able to make changes that completely and comfortably accommodated our needs.

For so many reasons this land and sea vacation in Sicily was one of the greatest my family and our children’s significant others have ever taken! We highly recommend it!

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England: A Journey Through London and Liverpool’s Music, History, and Culture

WOW trip traveler Robyn Needham spent a magical day in Liverpool touring all things Beatles.

We spent a week in the UK planned by Jennifer and her team. Our trip started in Liverpool with a day planned around Beatles lore. What we didn’t know is our tour guide secured our morning accompanied by Colin Hanton, the original drummer of the Quarrymen with John Lennon. Just a magical day touring everything Beatles, but also discovering a most amazing city in Liverpool. Our hotel was amazing in Liverpool, The Municipal Hotel, and convenient to walking to all the downtown locations.

From there we took an easy train ride to London. In London, our planners secured tickets to the England-Spain football match with seats in the premier club, complete with dinner and drinks. Our seats were at midfield. They also secured better seats for the Van Morrison concert, a bucket list item for my husband.

We stayed at Raffles Hotel near Trafalgar Square. Not only a great location, but the hotel is one of the most amazing places we have stayed.

We had private car transports to all our activities and the drivers were all very professional and amazing! In fact, after arriving in Manchester, our driver stopped on a detour for us to meet Big Beautiful Betsy (English bulldog Instagram celebrity) and her wonderful parents! Our tour guides were all great. We toured Camden, Highgate Cemetery and the Queen’s fashion display, “Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style” (tickets secured by our team, which are hard to get). We did some vintage shopping and ended with a fantastic food tour of Soho, only to learn it is the same company that did our food tour of the East End a couple of years earlier. The guides are fantastic.

Jennifer’s team made our trip so memorable. London and the UK are a must and one of our favorite places to go because the planners make you feel so special. Thank you for an amazing experience and trip once again to the UK!

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Canada: A British Columbia Wilderness Retreat Among Grizzlies and Coastal Beauty

Mission accomplished: Seeing a bear devour salmon in the wild. Photo: WOW trip traveler Nancy Wolf

This was our second trip planned by Marc. Back in 2018, Marc introduced us to Sonora Resort. Ever since that trip it has been a bucket-list item for me to go back during bear season to hopefully see grizzly bears feeding on salmon. Mission accomplished! We spent 2 days going on bear excursions. The first day we only saw a mama bear and her 3 cubs from a far distance. Fortunately, on our second trip, we were lucky enough to watch a bear feeding on salmon in the river. What an incredible experience!

Autumn is larger-than-life bear-watching season in British Columbia. Photo: Nancy Wolf

I’d highly recommend Marc and his team. The only thing I’d recommend for people going to Sonora Resort, if you’re like us and don’t like being around crowds, try to check whether there will be a large group staying at the resort at the same time. If so, choose different dates if possible. Our first few days there were only about 12 people who weren’t with the large group and we were segregated into one area for meals and some meals we had to eat in a makeshift dining room. It totally changed the vibe of the resort from the last time we stayed.

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Italy: A Luxury Yacht Adventure Through the Aeolian Islands, with Stromboli’s Fireworks

WOW trip traveler Andy Shapiro and family chartered a yacht to explore the Aeolian Islands.

We’d done the private yacht trip for a week in both Greece and the British Virgin Islands, and my daughter thought that would be an excellent type of trip for everyone. We liked being unpacked and settled in one location, the yacht, for a week. Also, my wife could participate in any land excursions that she was up for or just enjoy the views and time on the yacht. We reached out to our WOW List yacht broker Mandy, who planned our amazing BVI private yacht trip a few years ago, and her associate Rory, and asked their opinion on what they thought would be a great private yacht destination for late September/early October, our window to travel. Without hesitation, they both said, “The Aeolian Islands would be perfect!” My daughter and I had not even heard of the Aeolian Islands. Lol!

Mandy and Rory explained, “The Aeolian Islands are a volcanic archipelago, only 7 primary islands, part of Italy, located in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily. They are listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and are a magnificent and unique destination offering dramatic active volcanoes, black-sand beaches, and distinct island personalities. It’s where the Sicilians vacation! The pièce de résistance is seeing Stromboli, one of the few continuously active volcanoes in the world, erupting every 10 to 20 minutes spewing lava from its cone. It’s nature’s fireworks! Add to it great food and wine (which we LOVE), a perfect time of year to visit (i.e. crowds are gone after August, weather is sunny in the 70s, and the water is still warm for all water activities), it’s a fantastic choice!” WOW! We’re in! The next BIG decision was finding a yacht and crew.

With decades of travel experience all over the globe, we’ve learned the importance of after a long travel day or two and a significant time zone difference, having a few relaxed days to recover and acclimate. It was at this time we enlisted WOW List Sicily land experts for pre-yacht relaxation and travel recovery time, and they suggested the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace Hotel (yes, this is where they filmed “The White Lotus” Season 2) for our three nights pre-yacht land hotel. Brilliant!

Back to the yacht and crew, by far the most critical decision when doing a private yacht vacation. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of engaging a yacht broker. One of the worst travel decisions I ever made was to pursue on my own chartering a private yacht the first time for our Greece trip just over 10 years ago. Briefly, the yacht I thought I was getting online was not remotely commensurate to the yacht I received. The boat was old and tired but, in the pictures and video, looked shiny and new. Moreover, at the end when the captain does the Advance Provisioning Allowance “APA” (i.e. what extra you must pay for gas, food, port fees, wines, etc.) I really felt taken advantage of but had no recourse or expertise to question it. My family and I loved the yacht experience, but I knew I had to do a much better job organizing it next time.

When we planned our next private yacht trip in 2023, I reached out to Wendy Perrin and asked if she had a WOW person that does private yacht charters? Wendy replied, “No one has made the WOW list yet for private yacht charters, but we are vetting someone now and if you’re comfortable with that I’m happy to put you in touch with her.” I said, “Sure.” That’s when I was introduced to Mandy, and what a game-changer that was! Mandy was incredible with the questions she asked, advice she offered, yachts and crew she recommended and why, etc. Our private yacht charter in the BVI was amazing! We absolutely LOVED our yacht and crew! Moreover, when the trip was completed, Mandy reviewed all the receipts from the captain and made sure the additional APA I was charged was what I was supposed to pay and of course I felt was very fair. Since that BVI yacht trip in 2023, Mandy has become an official member of the Wendy Perrin WOW List. Bravo and well deserved!

Mandy’s associate, Rory, was especially familiar with the Aeolian Islands and the yachts and crew that did these trips. We went through the same process with Rory for the Aeolian Islands as we did with Mandy for the BVI. Your mind is at ease when you have COMPLETE confidence in the person you are working with. Rory found our BEST yacht to date along with an outstanding crew! A story I want to mention is that one of the days my wife was feeling awful and needed a heating pad on her abdomen which we did not have nor could find at any of the island pharmacies. We seriously thought about getting her a helicopter to take her to a hospital. We had insurance in place if necessary. Travel insurance is always a must! Our Chef Alina decided to make hot compresses and was delivering and helping apply them to my wife every 20 minutes for several hours. It really helped and was so above and beyond what her job description entailed. My family and I will never forget that and will always be grateful. We LOVED our yacht and crew and we LOVED the Aeolian Islands for all the reasons Rory and Mandy originally mentioned.

I must finally comment on the “pièce de résistance” of seeing Stromboli Island erupting every 10 to 20 minutes for the four hours our yacht was parked in the waters as close as you could get to the volcano including having dinner on the yacht while also watching Stromboli erupt. Arguably the most memorable dinner ever! In our decades of travel, we’ve seen a lot of things… watching a leopard kill in Kruger; chimpanzees in Mahale; gorillas in Rwanda; the migration in Tanzania; polar bears in the Arctic; the Big Five in South Africa, iceberg alley in Antarctica; bears hunting salmon in Alaska; etc. etc. but… seeing a real volcano actually erupting many, many times with lava spewing down the mountain was a life-punctuating event! It’s God’s fireworks! Mind boggling!!

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Switzerland: Lakeside Charm, Mountain Adventures, and a Family Immersion in Swiss Traditions

WOW trip traveler Dianne Pusch and her family enjoyed a day of hiking, cheese making, and an alphorn lesson.

Switzerland, September 2026. Lugano, Appenzell & Lucerne

Our trip was fantastic! We had many different people/itineraries to create and merge and it all came together smoothly. Nina’s colleague Laura recommended that we explore both Lugano and Appenzell, as they offered very different Swiss experiences. We loved both towns and learning about them. Our days in Lugano were warm and very Mediterranean in feeling, allowing us day trips to Lake Como, Bellagio, Mt. Brè and more with local cuisine and wines. Appenzell offered great day hikes, paragliding, access to St. Gallen and an immersion into a quiet hamlet in the Alps. The hotels in each location were great—right in the center of town—and offered full immersion into the communities.

We then joined the rest of our family in Lucerne, where Laura had coordinated exactly (!) the experiences I was looking for. We had a day of hiking, cheese making, and a meal on Mt. Rigi with an alphorn player who spent the afternoon teaching us to play and sharing many of her favorite songs with us. With our guide Ricardo, we experienced the celebration of the cows coming down from summer pastures in the Unesco Biosphere town of Entlebuch. And as an active family we absolutely loved the full day bike ride through Emmental with a lunch at a local dairy. Each of our guides was prompt, knowledgeable, and a delight to be with on our excursion.

It was important to me that our adult family experience the beauty of Switzerland, and with Laura’s help we coordinated group events and created individual time for everyone to explore additional areas of interest. We are an active family and have a good time together—but with Laura’s guidance we made this trip absolutely perfect for all of us.

Thank you for the recommendation, Team Wendy Perrin—the planning group absolutely delivered for our family.

Morocco: A Journey Through Ancient Medinas, Desert Landscapes, and Local Traditions

WOW trip travelers SueAnne and Rob Robinson appreciated Morocco from the mosques and medinas to the mountains.

Trip was September 22-October 5

My husband and I are just back from a fabulous 13-day trip organized by Michael. It was a comprehensive trip giving us a glimpse of different areas of Morocco. We had a wonderful guide Abdallah and driver Samad with us for the entire trip, and there is no way we could have done a trip this wide-ranging without either of them. We stayed in Rabat, Fes, Merzouga (desert), Skoura, Marrakech, Essaouira and finally an overnight in Casablanca to catch our direct flight home. Abdallah guided us through mosques, casbahs, mausoleums, museums and through the mazes of the medinas and souks. He introduced us to experts in spices, rugs, pottery and embroidered clothing who explained the process of creating their works. Samad drove us everywhere and was a safe driver throughout—the city streets were not like anything I had seen before (organized chaos at its best)—and the mountain passes included lots of tight twists and turns.

Michael selected wonderful restaurants for us—a great mix of traditional Moroccan cuisine in pretty settings as well as some uber hip places, especially in Marrakech. Samad drove us to and from dinner every night—a luxury for sure but it really added to the experience by making it so easy. Our extra activities were all organized by Michael’s team and each one was wonderful. A side trip from Fes to the Roman ruins at Volubilis, a cooking class in Marrakech where we made fish tagine, a perfume-making class where we learned about combining oils to make our own signature scent to bring home, a hike in the High Atlas with a guide who brought us to his home where his father served us Berber tea, are a few of the highlights. So many fun things, wonderful people, and a meticulously executed plan. What a wonderful trip it was!

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Italy: Relaxing on Lake Garda, Then Hiking and Exploring the Dolomites

We had an incredible 10-day honeymoon planned by Jennifer and her colleague Giulia, where we visited Northern Italy in mid-September. When we first started deciding where to go for our honeymoon, we knew we wanted a mix of relaxation and activity. With Jennifer and Giulia’s help, we ultimately landed on Lake Garda and the Dolomites, and it ended up being exactly what we had hoped for.

Our requests for the trip were 5-star accommodations, unique and private excursions, and plenty of time to relax—and every one of those requests was met. We stayed at Lefay Resort & Spa on Lake Garda and Adler Spa Resort Balance in Ortisei. Lefay offered the perfect start to our honeymoon, with stunning views and a peaceful atmosphere in a more secluded location, while Adler was right in the heart of town and gave us more opportunities to explore at our leisure. Both hotels had exceptional service and delicious breakfasts.

Giulia also booked a number of private excursions for us throughout the trip, including a boat tour around the lake, a cooking class at a local vineyard, a guided hike with lunch at a rifugio, and even a special request for my husband to go fly fishing. Every experience was amazing, with kind and knowledgeable guides who made each one feel truly special. It was honestly hard for my husband and me to choose a favorite.

All in all, we had an amazing honeymoon and would not hesitate to book with Jennifer’s team for a future trip. Their knowledge of Italy, in particular, is clearly exceptional. There was never a point when my husband or I felt anything less than completely taken care of, and that alone speaks volumes about the quality of their service. We are so grateful to Giulia and Jennifer for helping make our honeymoon such a memorable and special trip!

Switzerland: Exploring Three Distinct Cultural Regions by Train, Bike, and Hiking Trail

The Matterhorn, during a hike around the lakes near Zermatt. Photo: WOW trip traveler Johanna MacAloney

We had a fantastic experience working with Nina and her team in planning our trip to Switzerland. Our starting idea was to do the three major scenic train rides in Switzerland, and then working with Nina, we were able to broaden the experience to include a more in-depth experience of the country. Based on her recommendations and our interests, we ended up spending time in Lucerne, Montreux, Zermatt, St. Moritz, and Ascona, which enabled us to experience German-speaking areas, French-speaking areas, and Italian-speaking areas.

Due to the availability of the train tickets we requested, we ended up traveling the last two weeks of September. It was still very warm (some days in the 80’s) and we did not have any rain whatsoever. It was just beginning to be the low season so the destinations were not overly crowded.

She organized some very unique experiences for us, including a visit to a mountain goat farm, which included some hands-on cheese making, a hike with Saint Bernard dogs, wine tasting, chocolate making, a visit to an historic castle filled with modern art, several hiking excursions, and e-biking. The pacing of the trip was perfect, train days interspersed with other more active days of local sightseeing. What was also impressive was that they coordinated our itinerary with each of the local guides so that the guides were not repeating information. We learned about history, hydroelectric power, farming, nature, geology, glaciers, and tunneling.

Based on our initial conference with Nina and her team, they got a good understanding of the types of hotels that we like and the way we travel, and then were able to suggest properties which we would not likely have found on our own. They also had detailed knowledge of all of the hotels and were able to request specific rooms for us. The entire trip was seamless, they booked all of the tours, organized the train tickets, arranged any other transportation. We received a detailed itinerary with clear instructions for every day. Every single thing ran on time, we never needed to call any of the emergency numbers, just amazing.

We could not recommend them highly enough and Switzerland itself was the star.

Budapest & Austria: Private Access to Vienna’s Treasures, Vineyard Biking, Alpine Lake Retreat

WOW trip travelers Jonathan and Suzanne Scharfstein enjoy private viewing from St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

We just returned (September) from an 11-day trip to Budapest and Austria planned by Gwen and her team. They did an outstanding job on this trip. At our trip planning session they clearly heard what kinds of hotels and activities we wanted (and didn’t want) and they planned a fantastic itinerary and chose great hotels. All the logistics were spot on—punctual drivers, outstanding guides, local check-ins by WhatsApp, etc. When we were dropped off for our train from Budapest to Vienna, our driver insisted on coming in to the station with us, waited for boarding, carried our suitcases on the train and helped us find our seats! We could have navigated that ourselves and when we told him it wasn’t necessary, he told us, “This is Gwen’s team’s policy!”

All of our guides—Agi in Budapest, and Stephan and Bianca in Vienna—were fantastic. Their experience and fund of knowledge was amazing and they were fun to be with.

Of the many guided highlights, several deserve special mention. The private early admission to the Belvedere Palace in Vienna to view the many Klimt paintings there, including “The Kiss” masterpiece, was amazing. We had this entire museum to ourselves for an hour before the crush started to arrive at the 9 am opening. We also had a private tour of the large “attic” of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. Again, we were the only people in this space, and we were escorted outside on the narrow walkway on the church roof to see the unique roof construction and tiles added after WW II. The e-bike tour with Bianca in Vienna, to the outskirts of the city to the vineyards in the hills for wine tastings and lunch, was another highlight of the trip.

On top of all these, we had a WOW Moment on this trip. On our scheduled sunset private boat trip with Agi on the Danube in Budapest, we were treated to wine tastings on board guided by a local wine expert. This was a lovely experience.

Our hotels were great. The Aria in Budapest was an excellent location with beautiful music, themed rooms, and an excellent breakfast. The Hotel Sacher in Vienna, home to the famous Sacher torte (available at the breakfast buffet!), was elegant and luxurious with impeccable service. We were upgraded to a junior suite which was enormous. The Rosewood Schloss Fuschl outside of Salzburg in the Austrian (pre) Alps was a stunning location on a gorgeous lake. The spa facilities, lakeside loungers, and pools were all fantastic. It was also a good base to explore other towns by car (we rented a car in Salzburg). The staff here were excellent. One note of caution with this property. We were told on check in that the hotel air conditioning “comes from the adjacent lake” and not to expect the room to get much cooler when adjusting the thermostat. Presumably this was a geothermal system, but our room was warmer than we preferred at night and opening the windows brought in some mosquitoes. We eventually asked for a fan that helped, but I only point this out as summer months here might be a bit uncomfortable.

We have used many of Wendy’s trusted travel experts over the years and Gwen and her team ranks up there with the best of them! Not only were all the logistics so well managed, but the experiences she arranged for us were truly unique.

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Egypt and Jordan: Ancient Sights, Off-the-Beaten-Path Discoveries, and a Jordanian Wedding

WOW trip travelers William Harwayne and Diana approach the Pyramids by camelback.

We just got back from an amazing trip to Egypt and Jordan organizedand Dan and their colleague Kenny. Kenny and his team on the ground provided the exact experiences we were looking for, covering all the sights we requested and suggesting others off the beaten path that proved magnificent. All of this while providing seamless transfers and allowing for last-minute adjustments without missing a beat

We were able to attend our Jordanian friend’s wedding as well as last minute pre-wedding celebrations at an Amman club. Special shout-outs to our Jordanian driver Raul who made it clear he was available any time or place for our transportation needs, whether touring or during personal time—even to the point of taking us to and from the last-minute party late at night at the club. All in all, we couldn’t have asked for anything more on this adventure.

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France: A Journey Through Châteaux and Wine Country to Prehistoric Cave Art

WOW trip traveler Doris Festa designs a floral arrangement in a private chateau workshop.

This is our fourth Wendy Perrin trip. We were pleased with the itinerary that was developed by Jennifer’s colleague Maeva discovering the heart of France in Loire Valley, Dordogne and the Bordeaux regions. The accommodations in every leg of the trip were luxurious and representative of the region. After a long day of touring, the hotel staffs were very welcoming with great service.

Our initial contact with Jennifer and Maeva started our itinerary, keeping in mind our interests in history, culture, regions, the arts, food and wine. Maeve created the itinerary for 15 days, which turned out to be an exceptionally adventurous, educational and fun experience. Every day was unique and varied in activities, integrating our personal interests and broadening our existing knowledge. After our trip, looking at our photos and reflecting, we couldn’t believe how much we experienced. Perhaps it was the visual and the sensory overload we had every day, which sometimes one just needs to sit back and reflect, then realize what we had seen.

The numerous castles and chateaus in the various regions we visited and learning about the architecture, the history, the inhabitants were mind blowing. The vineyards and wine tastings in the different regions, both local small and large vineyards, gave us a better understanding of the art and processing of wine making and how the French have mastered it. It was fun, as no two wines tasted the same.

Doris and Thomas Festa with wine maker Alan in Medoc.

There was also a local tasting of regional food that included duck, walnuts and truffles, which was unique and so informative. We enjoyed the floral workshop at Chenonceau Castle with the master florist and the tour of their working gardens to make the floral arrangements for each room of the castle. This experience was very personal and special. Took the arrangement back to the hotel room so we could continue to enjoy our experience.

Small medieval town tours took on special meaning, which broaden our knowledge of Medieval history and how these amazing buildings still stand. The Lascaux IV International Center for Cave Art fulfilled Doris’ art history dreams since her first art history class in college. But the creme-de-la-creme experience was the Rouffignac Cave, which is privately owned. This was impressive as we were able to be in a prehistoric cave looking at the paintings and walking to get better views of the cave walls rather than a rendition.

Finally the tour guides/drivers made each day enjoyable and were accommodating to our needs. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and by the end of each tour we developed a friendship while loving the depth of what France offered. This could only be done by exceptional guides. We would recommend this trip to our friends and family without hesitation. We loved it all!!

Malta: Going Beyond Ancient Sites to Meet Artisans, Historians, and Local Families

My husband and I had an unforgettable trip to Malta, and it was mainly due to the inspiring itinerary and thoughtfulness of our organizer Damon.

It began before the trip with a Zoom call with Damon relaying sights and experiences we hoped to have in Malta. That Zoom call and a few others later turned into an impressive 26 page printout detailing all the sights we were going to see. Once we arrived in Malta, Damon had made sure we had plenty of help at the airport and getting to our hotel in the lively town of Valletta.

For the next five days we toured the country with guides. One of our favorites was Simon, who had an impressive World War II collection in his home. There he regaled us with personal stories of men who fought in the war. He even drove us back to our hotel in his 1943 Austin model Utility “Tilly.” Encounters like that made our trip so compelling. Not only did we go to the famous sites like Hagar Qim and the Hypogeum and St John’s Co-Cathedral, but we also had a number of absorbing off-the-usual-beaten-path tour stops. While in the riveting walled city of Mdina, Damon arranged for the owner of a beautiful palazzo to give us a private tour of his home. Another day we went to a sheep farm and had a special cheese tasting. That same day we met a musical artisan who taught us about the history of musical instruments—starting with a 9” cane reed which he manipulated to sound like a variety of different instruments. We then had lunch in the countryside with a lovely couple who served us local food and interesting conversation. And while there, Damon paid us a surprise visit so we could meet in person.

Probably one of my favorite extras was a visit to an art restorer who worked on huge religious murals from Malta churches. She walked us through a fascinating detailed look at what went into a restoration of such canvases.

Damon checked in with us daily and quickly made any changes that were needed. Every detail of the trip was meticulously taken care of. And we loved our driver Mario, whose driving skill whizzing around the narrow winding roads was impressive. When he took us to the catamaran to go to Sicily, he never left us until we were on the boat. He later texted us to see how everything was.

Even though he didn’t need to, Damon even helped us find a place to stay in Ortigia Sicily and arranged a driver for us there. We kept getting texts from him asking if we needed anything until we were on the flight home. We couldn’t have been more thrilled with this trip and kudos to Damon who was such a caring organizer.

Newfoundland: Finding Warm Hospitality in Fishing Villages, Crafts, and Culinary Traditions

Newfoundland, September 2-15, 2026

Last year Wendy Perrin took her team for a retreat designed by her Newfoundland specialist Jill Curran. She then wrote several times in her weekly emails about their activities in Newfoundland. My husband, Jamie Reuter, and I took one look at how Wendy raved about Newfoundland and what a great job Jill had done that we immediately put it on our travel list. Last spring we decided the time was ripe and contacted Jill. In designing a trip for early September 2026, we asked her to “plan us a trip just like Wendy and her team did,” only without the meetings. We emphasized our interest in getting beyond beautiful scenery and getting to understand the Newfoundland people. All we can say is that Jill exceeded our objective beautifully.

We had been to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island when our kids were in school, so thought we had a good sense of Canada’s Maritime region. Newfoundland is very different—a tiny population on a great deal of land with virtually all the people clustered around Atlantic Ocean coves. Canada’s province of Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost tip of North America with a population of only around 600,000 people. Of those only 26,000 are in Labrador, the rest are in Newfoundland with a large proportion in the provincial capital of St. John’s in the southeastern tip. Everyone we met was kind, welcoming, warm, and so very nice.

We began with three nights touring St. John’s and Conception Bay to the north with an excellent guide/driver. After switching to a rental car we headed south along the Irish loop, where the bulk of the Irish immigrants came in the 17th-late 18th centuries, drawn by the fishing. One highlight here was Sullivan’s Songhouse “kitchen party,” a delightful two-hour afternoon of singing and storytelling in the Sean Sullivan’s own farmhouse. Our plans to go cod fishing out of Petty Harbour were derailed by weather, but Jill came up with a wonderful alternative. Instead we spent two hours learning how to tie a marine flat Turk’s Head Knot from the couple we would have gone fishing with. The knots were so much fun to do (and not easy at all) and resulted in two to take home as trivets. While learning the knots and lunching on homemade fish stew and bread, we also talked about life as cod fishermen. While traveling the Irish loop we stayed at The Cape, a six luxury-cabin resort that opened mid-summer. While there, we had two extraordinary “Land and Sea” eight-course gourmet dinners. Not only was the food incredible, we had wonderful conversations with Newfoundlanders and other Canadian guests. From there we headed to Bonavista peninsula for several nights, hiked part of the Skerwink Trail with a geologist and forager as our guide, and went whale watching. The highlight of the latter wasn’t the minke whale we saw but several swarms of bluefin tuna in feeding frenzies as they churned the ocean feeding on small fish and attracting lots of birds. We were close enough to see the tuna repeatedly break surface. While we’ve gone whale watching a number of times, we’d never seen this kind of feeding frenzy.

Thanks to Jill, our trip was timed for two special events: (1) to be in Gander, Newfoundland, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and see the play Come From Away, and (2) then go on to a chefs’ collaborative weekend at the spectacular Fogo Island Inn. We knew what the people of Gander had accomplished when 38 transatlantic planes were diverted there after US airspace shut down after the World Trade Center was brought down. Over a period of five days, a population of less than 10,000 people opened their arms, hearts and homes to nearly 7,000 passengers and crew. They provided virtually everything these “refugees” needed on short notice. Other Canadian cities welcomed “plane people” but Gander was just a small town. Their experience was chronicled in a Tony-award winning Broadway play. Seeing the play in Gander itself on the eve of the 25th anniversary was incredibly moving. For us, it was a very special experience. The context certainly made a difference since the audience was filled from many who had “come from away” for the celebrations. The production was superb. The entire town had the right to feel proud and celebrate their achievements during that time of crisis.

Leaving Gander the following day, we took the ferry to Fogo Island for a great “chefs’ weekend” at Fogo Island Inn. We had wonderful food and lots of interaction with the three chefs, including a chef of a 2-Michelin star restaurant in Quebec and another who’d won Canada’s Best New Restaurant for two different restaurants. I, a non-fish eater, enjoyed every course of a nine-course dinner that was mostly seafood. I even ate moose tongue. Over the three days on the island, we had chances to get to know local residents including a morning island tour with a community host that was fascinating. With all of our other experiences on this trip, I think we got to know, understand – at least a bit — and very much appreciate Newfoundlanders’ kindness, warmth and hospitality.

Jill is a lovely person to work with. She has a wealth of contacts into which her clients are warmly welcomed. She not only planned a great trip, but she was always available when a few glitches arose as they inevitably do. Problems were always promptly attended to and the experiences to which she introduces her clients are both fun and educational. She is a great ambassador for Newfoundland and we highly recommend her.

Kenya: Crowd-Free Wildlife Viewing in Private Conservancies

Spotted: The melanistic leopard. Photo: WOW trip traveler Jeannie Mullen

Northern Kenya, Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Seychelles, September 4 – 28, 2026

This solo trip was originally planned a year out for a September 2025 departure. When my house sold several months before that trip, Katie worked with me to reschedule it for 2026. I had been to East Africa using Katie and Cherri in 2023, and learned a lot during that trip about additional things that interested me. For this trip Katie put together an itinerary that incorporated very specific things that I wanted to see and do, in addition to the traditional safari experience… 1) Mount Kenya up close, 2) the gigantic flamingo colonies at the lakes in Northern Kenya, 3) Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Northern Kenya, 4) the elusive black leopards, 5) a massive river crossing during the wildebeest migration, and 6) The Seychelles Islands.

In addition to putting me exactly where I needed to be to see and do each of these, Katie also made sure that I had the chance to try properties in various parts of Kenya and Tanzania, different from those that I had experienced on previous trips. Because of our previous work together, she knew that I prefer a quieter experience and therefore gravitate to the private conservancies versus the large parks where the crowds tend to be.

Northern Kenya was all that I had hoped. Suyian Conservancy was intimate and at the same time had all the African wildlife you could possibly want to see, including the elusive black or melanistic leopard. My guide, Charity, was brilliant and made sure that we made the most of every moment we had on our two-a-day game drives. At Suyian, there are two leopards. The one that I saw was named Giza (which means darkness) and she really put on a show the second time I saw her. I took two helicopter tours… one half-day trip to Mount Kenya (up through the valleys and rock walls), Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, and a scenic tour through the Ewaso Valley and the Laikipia Plateau… and a second full day trip to tour Suguta, visit and dance with the remote Pokot tribe, enjoy coffee on the rim of the second largest caldera in the world (the first being Ngorongoro), enormous colonies of flamingos on Lake Turkana, sand dunes that had the look and feel of the Gobi desert, and a wonderful pit stop high up in the Matthews range. In an off-script moment, we shared lunch with a Samburu cattle farmer who emerged from the bush just as we touched. We flew most of the trip at a very low altitude so I could easily see what was happening on the ground with herd movement. Getting to know Hoho my heli pilot both days, and hearing his stories about the region and the surrounding Kenyan communities—participating in the fire fighting efforts on Mt Kenya, rescuing trekkers, and rescuing and transporting orphaned wildlife to Reteti—was extra special.

The Maasai Mara was beautiful in its own way. Rekero Camp in Kenya is unfenced, sits high on the banks at the confluence of the Talek and Mara rivers, and has resident hippos that climb out of the water and up the banks to spend the night in the camp. Listening to them call to each other throughout the night and early morning is quite something. The wildebeest herds were not nearby during my time at Rekero, but during high season for the migration, this is one of their crossing points and the drama plays out right in front of the camp’s viewing deck without ever having to get in a vehicle. We saw plenty of wildlife on our two-a-day game drives in and around the Mara.

One of the highlights of my stay at Rekero, besides getting to know their wonderful staff and my guide Raphael, was a sunrise hot air balloon flight over the Mara. In addition to seeing a gorgeous sunrise, and seeing wildlife and landscape from a completely different perspective, I particularly enjoyed sharing personal stories with my captain, Barnabas, who also serves as a Pentacostal minister when he is not flying for Governors. We were treated to a beautiful picnic breakfast afterward, which resulted in a fun exchange with a young Brit on a 3-month photo assignment.

In the Serengeti, at Sayari Retreat in Tanzania, I saw some of the wildebeest crossings that I had been hoping for. Again, I was not there during the busiest part of the migration in July and August, but the crossings that I saw were seriously impressive and the crowds were much more palatable. My guide, Hassan, worked tirelessly to get me to places where I had a terrific vantage point without too much other impact from travelers with similar interests.

When my time in the bush ended, I returned to Nairobi for a full day to do a little shopping at the jewelry and bronze galleries, have a fantastic local lunch, and pick up a second suitcase that I had left there two weeks prior. Packing this way allowed me to meet the stringent luggage weight and size requirements of the small planes that shuttle clients in between the various lodges and also have a second set of clothes for an island escape in the Seychelles.

I have wanted to go to the Seychelles for a long time and I’m really pleased that I made time to do it at the end of this trip. In addition some much-needed down times on those beautiful beaches, I had a full day excursion on Mahe… the capital, Victoria, Eden Island and the Botanical Gardens. Phenomenal.

Hats off to Katie and her team for planning the trip that included everything that I asked for. In addition to making sure that I saw everything that I wanted to see and experience, she planned a very detailed, interesting, well-paced trip with every single logistic taken care of… All my visas, multiple fast track arrival and departure services at various airports, in country air logistics and transfers, and the most detailed tipping guidelines I have ever been given upon request, absolutely everything went off without a hitch. Katie’s and her staff’s considerable attention to the detail made this trip so enjoyable and most important, worry free.

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Ireland, Wales & Scotland: From an Irish Abbey to Scottish Islands and the St. Andrews Old Course

WOW trip travelers Jeff and Lisa Wellen visit Caernarfon Castle, a medieval fortress in North Wales.

Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland

8/23/26 – 9/9/26

We just completed our 18-day whirlwind trip with the help of our trip planners, Liz in Ireland and Bridget for Wales, England, and Scotland. They were outstanding. They collaborated with us to fine tune the itinerary, so we were able to check off all our priorities, which were Castles, Culture, History, Countryside, Food and Drink.

We landed in Dublin and then quickly were off to discover Ireland. Highlights included a trip to Killarney and the Ring of Kerry drive, the Aran Islands, a food tour in Galway, and watching a sheep dog herd sheep along the gorgeous Irish coast. David, our guide, was fabulous. He gave us one of our lasting memories by playing an old Irish tune on his flute in the hall of a 600-year-old abbey. It was enjoyed not only by my wife and I, but by all the visitors to the abbey that day.

We then came back to Dublin to take a ferry to Wales, where we met our wonderful guide, Paul. Highlights included going to the top of Snowdon Mountain on a train in the pouring rain. When we got to the summit it was like we were floating on the clouds. We also visited the Caernarfon Castle and the Penrhyn Castle and Gardens, which were magnificent.

Finally, we took a train to Oban, Scotland where we met another incredible guide, James. Highlights included a private island-hopping adventure, holding a 280-year-old Appin chalice used before the famous Battle of Culloden in 1746, and a unique foodie experience with Ghillie Basan at her house in northern Scotland.

The final highlight of our trip was partly excellent planning on the part of the team and part luck. Bridget and team put my name in the lottery to play the Old Course in St. Andrews. There is an 8% chance to get in and I did. It was the experience of a lifetime and a memory I will treasure forever.

This only scratches the surface of what we did over our 18-day itinerary. The accommodations were outstanding. They included a blend of big city hotels and boutique countryside estates to a beautifully restored 20-year-old farmhouse in northern Scotland.

The teams planned and executed a wonderful trip. THANK YOU!!!!!

This is the sixth time we have used one of Wendy’s WOW List planners. And we are now six for six with fantastic trips.

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London, Paris & Italy: A First Grand Tour, from Iconic European Sights to the Amalfi Coast

WOW trip traveler Mary Lou Voytko stands on 2000 years of history at the Colosseum with her sister and niece.

My sister, niece and I just returned from a whirlwind multi-country European trip to celebrate my niece’s high school graduation. Jennifer and her colleagues in France (Etienne) and Italy (Luna) organized a fantastic and memorable trip for all of us for the 14 days that we had available on the ground in Europe. This was the first major international trip for my sister and niece, and they were blown away by the sights and experiences that were arranged for us. We only had 2-3 days in each of several major European cities, so our days had to be carefully organized and focused.

We started in London with a full day at the Warner Brothers Studios Harry Potter experience that was amazing. Our black cab tour of the city showed all the London highlights, and was followed by the most luxurious afternoon tea at The Dorchester. Tea will never be the same in the US after that phenomenal and extravagant feast! From London, the Eurostar train took us through the Chunnel to Paris, where we made macarons in a private session with lovely Chef Kanika. On our own, we saw the Eiffel Tower and the Paris Sewer Museum and went shopping.

Italy was magnificent and we all thoroughly enjoyed our time in Sorrento, Rome and Venice. The wine tasting and lunch at a vineyard in Pompeii and the all-day boat excursion on the Amalfi coast with a seaside lunch was breathtaking. It was mind blowing to think that 2000 years ago ancient Romans walked on the same corridors of the Colosseum as we were walking on now, and the Rome golf cart tour was a brilliant way to show us Roman ruins and famous sights that highlight Rome. To wander on our own through Venice’s many labyrinth passages was exciting. The food everywhere was magnificent and everyone we met was gracious and welcoming.

Unfortunately, the record-breaking heatwave that Europe was experiencing during our visit disrupted our time in Paris. From our apartment building elevator that wasn’t working because of the heat, to the unexpected early closures of sites that we were to see on our Paris walking tour, especially the Louvre, was heartbreaking. Our guide, Katia, worked closely with Etienne to quickly arrange for alternate experiences for us that included taking a lovely Seine cruise and touring the Salle des Gens d’Armes (Hall of the Men-at-Arms) at the Conciergerie.

While we traveled to all these major tourist desired European cities at the height of the season, crowds didn’t seem to be a major issue for us given our knowledgeable and experienced guides who were able to take us everywhere seamlessly. It was a truly magical memorable journey that celebrated family and graduation. This is why I only use Wendy’s WOW List planners to arrange all of my international trips and why my sister asked me to help her on this trip.

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The Baltics & Nordics: Enjoying City Culture Interspersed With Countryside Highlights

WOW trip travelers Barbara and Larry Schoenfeld and Sally and Larry Silverman try bog walking.

Greg planned a delightful 10-day trip to Riga in Latweden, after a couple of rounds of juggling dates to optimize the timing. His advice was valuable to us because he chose nice hotels in the center of each city, so that we could walk to some attractions and restaurants, and save time and money by being well-located

Our itinerary required a long drive from Riga, Latdrive with a stop mid-way, with something interesting to do or see. The request was a challenge to Greg and his team because the trip is through a rural area. But they found a delightful solution by having our driver take us to a private visit on a small family-run goat farm. After a brief tour, we sampled delicious fried goat cheese and goat cheese ice cream

A highlight of the trip was something I doubt we could have discovered on our own—a bog walk. While in Tallin, Estonia, we were taken to the Viru Bog Nature Trail by a delightful guide. Beyond learning interesting facts about the importance of bogs, we traversed the spongy, unstable surface in snowshoes. It was a unique experience and a lot of fun.

Because our trip consisted of four sophisticated cities, we organized most of our activities on our own. However, we did ask Greg to provide us with a half-day walking tour in each city upon our arrival, so that we could get oriented, see the major tourist sites, and consult with the guide for advice on how to organize our time. All the guides were informative, well-rounded in their knowledge, and flexible.

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London: Tracing Rock-and-Roll History and Exploring Dickens’ Old Haunts

WOW trip travelers Charles and Kathy Partridge taking their strides across Abbey Road.

London, August 31-September 13, 2026

In May 2020, our much-anticipated trip to London was cancelled, compliments of COVID. Several months ago, I discovered our Oyster cards (for subway admission) tucked away under my passport, so we decided that London would be a worthy destination in 2026. Karen planned a fabulous week in London that preceded a barge cruise up the Thames. From the outset, she was an absolute dream to work with—it would be my first visit to London, so she designed an itinerary that combined the requisite tourist attractions (Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Victoria and Albert Museum, etc.) with tailored excursions that made the trip feel extra special, and ample free time that allowed us to explore on our own.

Karen recommended a hotel in Marylebone, and we’re so glad that we took her advice. Though it was right off bustling Oxford Street, the neighborhood has a distinctly village feel, with many small shops and other businesses, as well as the Wallace Collection, a historic house museum filled with art treasures. We enjoyed exploring the area, discovering such gems as St. Christopher’s Place, a pedestrian thoroughfare lined with restaurants. We had the good fortune of meeting the owner of a local pub where we had lunch on a quiet day, and returned after our barge trip on a busy Saturday, when we also got to chat with weekenders visiting from Birmingham.

Karen arranged three exceptional experiences unlike those of typical city tours. One of our trip’s highlights was a 4-hour rock and roll history tour. Expertly chauffeuring us through London in his classic black cab, our guide, Steve, a passionate rock and roll historian with an encyclopedic knowledge of his subject, showed us places frequented by the likes of Mick Jagger, Keith Richard, Freddie Mercury, and the Beatles, and regaled us with accounts of their lives—musical and otherwise. (Yes, we did get a photo at Abbey Road’s famous zebra crossing!) When he deposited us at the hotel at the end of the afternoon, we felt like old friends. A second unique experience was a private tour of the Charles Dickens Museum. As we toured the home where Dickens once lived, our guide transported us back to London in the 1830s, peppering her commentary with anecdotes about his life and times. And finally, author and historian AJ West showed us some fascinating lesser-known historical sites—the private London Library, ruins of a Roman amphitheater, the Royal Exchange—ending with a pint at the George and Vulture, yet another of Dickens’ haunts.

I should add that Karen and her associates’ impeccable planning and meticulous attention to detail made our visit to London a truly wonderful and unforgettable experience. Bravo and thanks to all!

Italy: Three Generations Bike the Alps, Make Tiramisu in Positano, and Cruise the Amalfi Coast

WOW trip traveler Albert Cemel, pictured with kids and grandkids during their ride down from Alpe di Siusi.

Our family of 10, comprising three generations, spent a wonderful three weeks in Italy. Choosing which areas to visit in Italy is a challenging task. We were fortunate to have Martina and Elisa help us navigate the many choices we had for accommodations and experiences. We ended up with a perfect blend of adventure, culture, history, and beauty, and something for everyone, regardless of age.

We landed in Milan, which put us about two hours from Lake Garda, which we chose over the more well-known Lake Como because it is more budget-friendly and better suited for families with children. We stayed in the beautiful medieval lakeside resort town of Sirmione. Sirmione is a maze of vibrant cobblestone alleys filled with boutiques, gelaterias, a historic church, lakeside promenades, and a beach. We stayed at the Hotel Continental Wellness, a four-star hotel with beautiful lake views, a spa, and two pools, in a serene atmosphere. Breakfast on the terrace overlooking the lake was a wonderful way to start each of our days there. We explored the beauty of the crystal-clear blue lake by taking a delightful two-hour boat tour. We were treated to breathtaking scenery, including beautiful coastal landscapes and majestic mountains, while our guide provided a history of the town and some interesting locations along the coast.

Our next stop was the charming Alpine village of Ortisei in the Dolomite mountains. The pedestrian-friendly town is loaded with boutiques, beautiful buildings, and many restaurants and cafes. We stayed at The Rainell Retreat, a family-run hotel that sits on top of a hill offering a beautiful panoramic view of the town center below and the surrounding mountains.

We took an incredible bike tour to Alpe di Siusi, Europe’s highest and largest Alpine meadow plateau. We rented bikes in town and took gondolas to the top of Alpe di Siusi plateau, where we were met by an absolutely breathtaking view of the mountains, limestone peaks, and lush green landscape in the foreground. We had a wonderful guide who was a native of Ortisei and tailored the tour to make sure the younger kids along with my wife would be able to handle the bikes with minimal difficulty. The electric, power-assisted bikes made it easy to traverse the numerous hills. For our youngest and smallest granddaughter, Luna, the bike shop attached a child seat in the back of her father’s seat, and this worked very well, better than attaching a trailer. The 21-mile bike ride down the mountain took us through some of the most spectacular scenery you will ever see. It was an amazing, unforgettable experience to be able to do the bike ride as a family.

From the Dolomites we drove to Tuscany and a lovely and spacious 160-year-old villa surrounded by rose bushes, olive groves, and rolling hills. There was a lot of room for the kids to run around in, as well as a nice swimming pool. Nearby is Pienza, one of the beautiful hill towns Tuscany is known for. This picturesque Renaissance town was rebuilt by Pope Pius II in the 15th century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for harmonious architecture and beautiful valley views below.

After Tuscany, on our way to Rome, we stopped in the beautiful hilltop town of Orvieto and spent several very pleasant hours walking around the town. In Rome we stayed at the Glam, a 4-star boutique hotel near the Trevi Fountain with nice, comfortable rooms and a lovely roof terrace restaurant where we had a great breakfast each day. We took a very enjoyable sunset tour in golf carts. Touring in the evening avoided the heat of the day, which can get pretty intense in the summer. We took a fun walking tour of Rome street food and markets and sampled a variety of authentic Roman favorites. We went on a tour of the magnificent Colosseum and Forum. Given the huge crowds in the summer, having reserved tickets and a guide for the Colosseum and Forum are a must and well worth it. At the Vatican, again, reserved tickets and a guide are a must. We arrived early (7:30 am) to avoid the larger crowds later in the day, and our guide shared fascinating knowledge of Vatican history, the popes, and the Basilica.

After Rome, a private vehicle took us to the Amalfi Coast, stopping en route in the beautiful and charming beach town of Sperlonga for lunch on the beach in a beautiful setting. It was the perfect way to break up the drive. Then we headed to the cliffside village of Positano and our beautiful villa on the Amalfi Coast. Set right into the tall cliffs overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, it was one of the most beautiful settings that anyone in our family had ever stayed in, with a beautiful view of the coast from every room. A private beach provided a perfect playground for the children. They loved climbing the rocks of the cliff and jumping in the water. The shoreline was covered in polished glass and rocks suitable for collecting and making jewelry.

View from the family’s Positano villa. Photo: Albert Cemel

We were treated to a private cooking class. Learning to prepare delicious potato gnocchi and tiramisu was a lot of fun for everyone. We were left with enough tiramisu for the rest of the week! We also took several walks into Positano, which is a unique and exciting town to explore. The steep, narrow pathways are filled with boutiques, cafes and a couple of small grocery stores.

We took a wonderful 7-hour cruise along the Amalfi Coast: You have to see the coast from this vantage point to fully appreciate its stunning beauty, towering cliffs, rugged landscapes, and hidden coves. Views of the vertically terraced pastel buildings and homes of Positano are awe-inspiring. The sea itself is crystal clear and, depending on the water depth and light, the gorgeous blue tones vary from turquoise to deep cobalt, with occasional purple hues. A stop at La Conca del Sogna restaurant in Nerano was a real treat. The restaurant sits on a terrace overlooking the sea. The food and service were excellent, the atmosphere festive.

Needless to say, this was a trip of a lifetime for our family, one they will always cherish for the time we spent together and the experiences we shared. I have a feeling that one day, our children, granddaughters, and their children will return to Italy and relive those memories.

England: Barge Cruise of the Thames With Historic Riverside Stops

WOW trip travelers Charles and Kathy Partridge alongside the River Thames.

September 6-12, 2026

Our barge cruise along the River Thames aboard Magna Carta began auspiciously with a sumptuous afternoon tea at the Stafford Hotel, where we met the three other couples who would be our companions for the next six days, and our delightful and capable guide, Sarah-Jayne (SJ). After quickly establishing that we held common views on numerous topics, we were chatting like old friends, and when we finished our tea, SJ whisked us off to the boat to begin our adventure.

The Magna Carta cruise was our third arranged through Ellen and Caroline; having thoroughly enjoyed barge cruises in France and Scotland, we thought that a cruise up the Thames would be an excellent way to cap off our previous week’s visit to London. One of the unique features of barge cruising is getting to know—and love—the crew, who seem to be everywhere at once, willing to fulfill any request cheerfully, and this group was no exception. A special shout-out goes to Chef Calum, who after a first-night meeting to ascertain guests’ preferences, managed to design a menu that incorporated every dish or ingredient mentioned on our wish list.

We were blessed with fine weather for most of the cruise, and Captain Hugo often joined us on deck to apprise us of the historical significance of various locales and buildings along the route. A truly special highlight of the cruise was SJ’s tour of Hampton Court; as we wandered from room to room, she regaled us with tales about each of King Henry’s storied wives, helping us to imagine palace life in this extravagant setting. Other exceptional experiences included Captain Hugo’s whiskey tasting and Captain Dom’s tour of a 300-year-old boatyard.

Our six days passed far too quickly; hugs abounded as we bid a fond farewell to our fellow guests and the Magna Carta crew.

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Switzerland: Hands-On Experiences With Artisans of Watches, Chocolate, Cheese, Wine, Bells

ERIN BUSHNELL AND ALEX POOLE | SEPTEMBER 14, 2026

WOW trip travelers Alex Poole and Erin Bushnell learn watchmaking in Zurich from their instructor Jannick.

Switzerland (Appenzell, Lucerne, and Zurich)

September 6 – 12, 2026

When my husband and I began planning our trip to Switzerland we had no idea where to start—Nina and her colleague Ana helped us narrow our options down to three places, but it was a hard choice since every area we discussed had something special to offer. Ultimately, we ended up exploring Appenzell, Zurich, and Lucerne. Every tour they arranged was exceptional—we got to learn and experience things from the people who were actually producing them.

In Appenzell, we learned how goat cheese is made and bought a wedge directly from the cheesemaker, we spent time with a farmer who raises cattle, and visited a bell maker who walked us through the entire process, including a chance to help forge a bell! We also visited a winery for Swiss wine, a special treat since so little of it is exported; this was a rare chance to taste something genuinely local.

Lucerne offered its own kind of magic, in large part because of our guide, Manuela. We walked two Saint Bernard dogs through town and became quite the object of attention for our fellow tourists. We were also struck by how effortless the trains were; getting around was a breeze.

In Zurich, we did a hands-on watchmaking workshop and toured a small-batch chocolate producer, capped off with a chocolate tasting run just like a wine tasting—walking through origin, texture, and flavor notes in a way that completely changed how we think about chocolate.

Everyone we met, from artisans to guides, was warm and generous with their knowledge. The scenery was as stunning as advertised, and the towns were altogether charming. When we arrived, Nina and Ana had ensured our train tickets were printed and organized, waiting for us in our hotel room, along with a pocket-sized spiral bound printed itinerary which was handy to throw in our day bag so we always had the important information at our fingertips.

We know we’ve only scratched the surface of what Switzerland has to offer and see a return trip in our future.

Italy: Cruising to Lunch in Capri, Private Guide to Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius

WOW trip traveler Tina Sarafa and her husband cruising to lunch on Capri.

September 6-12, 2026

We just had the most amazing trip to the Amalfi Coast celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. Andrea and her team outdid themselves. They pointed us towards the most dreamy and romantic hotels and even advised which rooms to choose. Their suggestions for activities included an all day boat trip on the Mediterranean to lunch on Capri, a pizza-making cooking class, and the best guide Vincenzo to visit Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. He couldn’t have been more knowledgeable and made the tours so fun.

We were so impressed that at each restaurant we were treated to the most warm welcome and the best table in the house. Andrea’s contacts for guides, restaurants and hotels made the trip perfect! It checked off every box we wanted for a relaxing, memorable and romantic getaway for a special anniversary celebration. Andrea and her team listened to our wishes and planned the most incredible itinerary. It exceeded our expectations and I would say they are true experts in creating a magical Italian experience!

Japan: A Return Trip Built Around Taking Part in Living Traditions

WOW trip traveler Kari rappels 100 feet down into a lagoon. Photo: Michael Ruma

Japan: We Meet Again

Having enjoyed Japan so much in 2024, we once again enlisted Wendy and her trusted travel curator, Andrea, to imagine the next chapter. We wanted something different: fewer familiar cities, more countryside, and experiences farther off the beaten path. Andrea created an extraordinary journey through north central Japan and Kyushu filled with relaxing ryokans, wonderful food, incredible guides, and experiences we never could have discovered on our own.

After arriving in Tokyo on June 14, we boarded the Shinkansen for Minakami. You know you are officially off the beaten path when you step off the train and no one else gets off with you! Our mountain guide was waiting, and apparently there would be no time for jet lag. Soon we were canyoning through beautiful—and refreshingly cold—mountain waters, jumping from small cliffs and rappelling nearly 100 feet into a spectacular lagoon.

Cold, wet, and thoroughly awake, we traded canyoning gear for our first ryokan. From our private onsen we looked toward Mount Tanigawa, which we hiked the next morning. Dinner brought another surprise: a local Hunter’s Lodge where wild game became beautifully composed fine dining. Wilderness by day, extraordinary food by night—rural Japan was already delivering exactly what we had hoped to find.

Around Tokamachi, we slowed the pace among small villages and the gorgeous curves of the Kamou Rice Terraces. Our guide surprised us with tea and a local bento, while Satoyama Jujo provided an almost impossibly silent villa, sauna, mountain-view onsen, and a beautiful tasting dinner. The next day, contemporary art appeared in unexpected corners of the countryside. At Kiyotsu Gorge, a shallow reflecting pool frames one of Japan’s most photographed views. By an incredible stroke of luck, we had it completely to ourselves. For a few precious minutes there were no lines or crowds—just us, the reflection, and the gorge. Sometimes travel gives you something that simply could not have been planned.

Back in Tokyo, we reunited with Rachel and Carmen and celebrated Kari’s 50th birthday at Ise Sueyoshi with an intimate kaiseki dinner and sake tasting. Among all the beautiful courses, one bite stopped all four of us: fatty tuna gently smoked over crackling rice. Rich, smoky, and meltingly tender, it remains one of the best single bites of food any of us has ever enjoyed.

The next day we flew south to Fukuoka and checked into the Ritz-Carlton, where the modern aesthetic and oozingly cool vibe made us feel like instant celebrities. A yakitori food tour evolved into drinks, drinking games, and a musical performance by a local geisha before one final rooftop cocktail. We had been in Fukuoka only hours before all four of us agreed: we hadn’t given this city nearly enough time.

Rain and mist seemed perfectly suited to Imari’s pottery village. We wandered tiny shops, learned about the mineral-rich mountain soils used to create the distinctive porcelain colors, and tried making pottery ourselves. In Ureshino, a modern ryokan continued the fun with gardens, green-tea tastings and cocktails, wonderful staff, and—naturally—another onsen.

Nagasaki changed the tone of our journey. At the Atomic Bomb Museum, photographs, personal belongings, and firsthand accounts made history intensely human. We left reflecting on the consequences of war and human decisions, but also on Nagasaki’s message of remembrance, forgiveness, and hope. We walked out quieter than when we had entered.

Later, a ferry carried us toward Gunkanjima. Lunch offered a very different Japanese experience: Famichiki, FamilyMart’s famous fried chicken. One day we were eating extraordinary kaiseki; another, convenience-store fried chicken on the way to an abandoned island. Both had their place—and both were memorable.

Shopping for local tofu was one step toward creating a geothermal lunch. Photo: Michael Ruma

The next morning became one of the trip’s absolute highlights: a 25-kilometer e-bike ride in search of our lunch. We stopped for tofu, selected rockfish at the local market, gathered vegetables and sweets, and carried everything to a creative small hotel. With its young owners, we seasoned our ingredients and placed them into geothermal steam pots. Ten minutes later, the earth beneath Unzen had cooked our lunch to perfection.

Our guides had planned an evening of stargazing for Kari’s birthday, but cloud cover made the real stars impossible to see. They refused to let the weather spoil the surprise. Somehow they found a galaxy projector, ushered us into a local conference room, turned off the lights, and recreated the stars as they would have appeared in the location and year of Kari’s birth. Then came a surprise birthday cake and candles.

What should have been a disappointing cloudy night became something far more personal—thoughtful, unexpected, and a wonderful example of the kindness we encountered throughout Japan. Some memories stay with you because of the place; others because of the people who made the place special. After ferrying toward Kumamoto, a great ramen lunch and shochu tasting led us to our final ryokan.

The next morning brought another favorite experience: a cooking class in the home of our newfound 80-year-old Japanese grandma and grandpa. They told us about retiring at 76 and 78, learning new musical instruments, teaching cooking, and continuing to approach life with remarkable curiosity and energy.

In Grandma’s kitchen, we prepared nine dishes for our own bento boxes. We chopped, mixed, seasoned, cooked, laughed, and tried to follow recipes she knew by heart. To call it a fun treat would be an understatement. It was her house, her kitchen, her recipes, her energy—and it was impossible not to feel her love.

That afternoon we went from bento boxes to samurai swords. We met a remarkable woman carrying forward a multigenerational samurai tradition connected to the local Sagara family, donned traditional uniforms, and learned the discipline and practice behind the art. We worked through offensive and defensive stances with padded weapons before watching professionals demonstrate the techniques at full speed with real swords.

Old traditions like sword techniques were of interest to Michael Ruma in rural Japan.

There is probably a more sophisticated description, but two words say it best: INSANELY COOL. In a single day we had cooked in Grandma’s kitchen and practiced centuries-old sword techniques—two completely different experiences that captured exactly what we had hoped to find in rural Japan: not simply observing traditions, but meeting the people keeping them alive and being invited to participate ourselves.

With two typhoons barreling in, we swapped our planned flight for a bullet train back to Tokyo and settled into The Tokyo EDITION for our final two nights. We said goodbye to Rachel and Carmen on June 26, grateful for the laughter, meals, adventures, and more than a few cocktails we had shared.

For our final evening, Japan gave us one last spectacular example of its food at Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s first restaurant. After two weeks of tasting menus, mountain game, yakitori, ramen, Famichiki, homemade bento, geothermal-steamed rockfish, and that unforgettable bite of fatty tuna, it was the perfect exclamation point.

We returned to Japan hoping to discover something different from our first journey, and we certainly did. We jumped into icy mountain rivers, hiked beneath towering peaks, wandered among rice terraces and rural art, made pottery, biked for our lunch, cooked with geothermal steam, and practiced samurai traditions. Yet some of the memories we will treasure most are the simplest: an empty train platform, a silent mountain onsen, Kiyotsu Gorge all to ourselves, a perfect bite of tuna, a galaxy created indoors for Kari, and an 80-year-old Japanese grandma welcoming four strangers into her kitchen.

We returned home with our stomachs full of the delicacies of Japan, our minds calmed by the relaxing traditions of the ryokans, and our hearts enriched by the love of our friends and the people and experiences we encountered along the way through rural Japan.

Two years ago, we left Japan saying, “Until we meet again.” Apparently, we meant it. There is still so much of Japan’s rich heritage left to explore, so many regions we haven’t visited, foods we haven’t tasted, and people we haven’t yet met. We can’t wait for Chapter Three.

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Indonesia and Taiwan: Private Komodo Charter, Family-Friendly Bali Arts, Snorkel With Sharks

We just returned from a fabulous three-week trip through Indonesia and Taiwan, planned by Andrea and his team. We had a truly fabulous time—we did Yogyakarta, Bali, and then a private phinisi charter through the Komodo Islands area. We also spent a few days in Taipei on the way back home.

The guides that were arranged for us were great fits and did a wonderful job of accommodating and engaging our two children. Andrea’s team was always available or pivot plans as needed. Of particular fun for our family were the Batik painting, kite making, and river rafting excursions in Bali

The best part of the trip, though, was the charter. We saw Komodo dragons, snorkeled in beautiful reefs, saw manta rays, turtles, sharks, eels, schools of fish, etc., and also snorkeled with whale sharks. We climbed to scenic viewpoints, relaxed on deserted pink sand beaches, ate delicious food, swam in a salt water lake in a volcanic caldera, and floated in a beautiful multi-pool waterfall. It was perfect.

Thank you to Andrea and their team for providing such an incredible three weeks for our family.

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Iceland: Calving Glaciers, Puffin Cliffs, and the Remote Westfjords

A large group of puffins claimed the cliff overlooking the black sand beach at Dyrhólaey. Photo: WOW trip traveler Michael Modak

Just back from Iceland: Waterfalls, glaciers, fjords, but no eclipse

We had Iceland on our list for a number of years. Having the possibility of viewing the eclipse caused us to pull the trigger. Mads and the team quickly became partners in sorting out the logistics to put us in the path of totality as we roamed around the country.

We had the perfect place to start, The Retreat at Blue Lagoon. The massage in the warm water and the treatments were amazing, as was the Michelin restaurant on site. No need to leave once you check in. And the volcanic activity of the island became very clear after seeing recent lava flows and the barriers created to divert the flow and protect the resort.

The ride along the south of the island to Glacier Bay was a good introduction to the multitude of waterfalls throughout the country. We saw a large group of puffins on a cliff overlooking the black sand beach at Dyrhólaey on a rainy day. Beautiful birds.

Seeing the icebergs fighting the ocean current as they were flowing to the sea at Diamond Beach demonstrated the beauty of the ice as the water created large crystal-like structures. That along with a zodiac ride through a bay where the icebergs were calving at Fjallsárlón gave us a full appreciation of the dynamic aspect of glaciers.

Perhaps the most interesting piece of the trip was visiting the more remote areas. Siglufjörður sits on the far north of the island and historically has been a force in the herring trade. It’s worth a stop at the Herring Café to sample their various preparations of the fish such as garlic, mustard, dill, black pepper, etc. I’m not a particular fan of herring, but when in Siglo….

Our hunt for a break in the clouds to see the eclipse took us to the remote Westfjords. Desolate is actually a better word than remote. Despite our efforts to stay in touch with weather in the zone of totality, we were unable to find a break in the clouds. Seems like this was the case just about everywhere on the island.

Reykjavik was our final stop and it was filled with beautiful architecture and outdoor sculptures and monuments from the past to the present.

One final note. I’m not sure where Wendy’s teams find their staff of drivers and guides, but as usual, we had a great individual who was going to do everything he could to get us in place to see the eclipse and provide helpful perspective as we wandered around the country.

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Copenhagen and Faroe Islands: Hike Wild Landscapes, Cruise Under Cliffs, Lunch with Locals

WOW trip traveler Jennifer Datwyler hikes along the knife-edge trail in the Faroe Islands. Photo: David Datwyler

Our recent trip to Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands was truly a trip of a lifetime. We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, which made the journey especially meaningful, and the Faroe Islands had been my husband’s dream destination for years. Mads and his team did an incredible job turning that dream into an unforgettable reality.

The itinerary was beautifully planned and struck the perfect balance between sight seeing, incredible scenery, and unique local experiences.

Lotte, our guide in Copenhagen, was incredibly knowledgable and personable. She brought the city to life in a way that made our time there so much more meaningful. A private tour of the Copenhagen Museum of Contemporary Art was a particular highlight, as was our canal cruise, which gave us a beautiful perspective of Copenhagen’s architecture and waterfront.

The Faroe Islands exceeded our expectations in every possible way. The landscapes were breathtaking, but it was the opportunities to connect with the Faroese people and experience the islands through their eyes that made the trip truly special. One of our favorite experiences was having lunch on Nolsoy with a Faroese family who welcomed us into their home. It was such a genuine and memorable experience and gave us a glimpse into Faroese life and hospitality that we never could have gotten from simply visiting as tourists.

Our guide, Bar, was absolutely amazing. As a Faroese native he had an incredible knowledge of the islands. He made the experience personal and authentic rather than simply a sightseeing tour.

Jennifer Datwyler hiking with Faroese native guide Bar. Photo: David Datwyler

The Zodiac boat tour around Vagar was another standout experience. Seeing the dramatic cliffs and coastline from the water was spectacular, and gave us an entirely different perspective of the islands. The hike on Kalsoy was equally unforgettable with the scenery and rugged beauty of the island making it one of the highlights of our entire trip.

We returned home with incredible memories and an even greater appreciation for the people, culture, food, and landscapes of the Faroe Islands. We are especially grateful that Mads and his team helped make my husband’s dream of visiting the Faroe Islands come true!

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Switzerland: Go Inside a Locked Clocktower in Bern, and Picnic Beneath the Jungfrau

Our trip was AMAZING! Nina and her colleague Ana created a wonderful itinerary for us in Switzerland. It all started with us going to Switzerland for an engagement party. The locals at the party were amazed at the jewels of hotels that we were staying at, thinking, How did people from outside of Switzerland even find these hotels? Ana and Nina understood our vibe from our first video chat and planned the perfect trip.

We had a private tour with a guide who literally has the keys to the city. She is one of only 4 people who winds the clock in the clock tower in Bern. This clock was built in 1559. She had private keys to the Cathedral as she worked there for 18 years. It was a fantastic day.

We had the most wonderful hike in Wengen with a picnic with bread and jam and local Swiss cheeses while she explained what went into making these amazing cheeses—all while sitting in the shade of a tree looking directly at Jungfrau, other surrounding mountains, and the village of Lauterbrunnen. I think that was our favorite day.

We were ill in the beginning of our trip and they were available 24/7, a person on the phone, to help us rearrange plans and to get the help we needed. I could go on and on. I believe I’ve used 4 or 5 planners from the WOW List. All were great—Nina’s team was beyond great!

Ecuador: chocolate-tasting in Quito, swimming with wildlife in the Galapagos

WOW trip traveler Shaye Arluk and her family were amazed by the proximity to sea lions. Photo: Glen Arluk

Allie and Katie did an incredible job with every detail of our Quito/Galapagos Cruise from 7/30-8/7/26. Not only did they select a great hotel in Quito and guide us towards the perfect boat for our family on The Eco Galaxy, but they also picked people in the country who made every transfer, every tour, every moment seamless. Even when I literally changed the itinerary in Quito at the last minute (because I had cranky teenagers who needed to sleep in), Allie immediately adjusted our pickup time to a perfect full day of exploration and delicious chocolate tasting.

In addition, it was my husband’s and my anniversary while we were away, and Allie surprised us with chocolates and wine that made for such a wonderful evening. My only regret was the trip ending, as we would have loved another day or two (but could not due to our work schedules), but I’m so glad Allie said to do the 5-night cruise instead of the 4-night.

I have already recommended them to at least a dozen friends, as Allie and the Galapagos exceeded every expectation we had! We will never forget snorkeling with tortoises right next to us, as well as watching in awe, underwater, as two sea lions played around us! Thank you for making this trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

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Greenland: an expedition cruise (and eclipse!) that leaves “the Arctic in your blood”

Traveling eclipse-watchers observe the spectacle from a fjord. Photo: WOW trip traveler Sally Boland

This is the third time we have used Ashton—once with a cruise to Antarctica and twice to the Arctic. Each one has been incredible and this one was no exception!

There are so many cruise ships out there, and their itineraries sound great. But what we appreciate about working with Ashton is he recommends what would be the best fit for us based on a series of factors. Each time we have spent time talking and then communication via emails—and he has suggested ships and itineraries that have fit us perfectly. This trip was our second on the Quark Ultramarine Expedition ship. And we are all dreaming about where we might want to go again on the same ship in the not too distant future!

This trip was built around the Solar Eclipse on August 12 and we were in a fjord in Greenland to watch. How can we ever top that for an amazing event?! But what really stood out was the challenge the ship’s captain and expedition leader, Jake, faced. The weather had a reasonable chance of being cloudy where they had hoped to observe it a day or two before. A decision was made to move the ship to a new location, not really knowing for sure this was going to be successful. As the time was counting down for the eclipse, the clouds were starting to form on the horizon. The anticipation was building. And we had success! We saw a 100% eclipse—and within an hour the clouds were there (meaning it probably would have been clouded out). Not all the ships in the vicinity had the same success, we later heard. This was a definite lifetime highlight! Not many can say they witnessed a total solar eclipse in a stunning Greenland fjord!

Of course, the whole cruise was fun besides the eclipse. The staff (some of who remembered us from the last cruise 3 years ago!), the food, and the activities are just top notch. Our room was super comfortable (same one we had 3 years ago!) and the lounges are great for observing scenery from the ship or just relaxing.

There are several other destinations that are of interest so will be thinking about those, such as Svalbard or southern Greenland. As we flew back home, we had a beautiful view of southern Greenland from our window. My son later told me, when he saw that he knew he had to go back. He said “the Arctic is in my blood now!” I felt exactly the same!

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Iceland: exploring ice caves, riding horses across lava fields, baking bread geothermally

Iceland’s natural landscape and waterfalls delighted WOW trip traveler Lucia Logan and daughter DeeDee.

In late July, my 29-year old daughter DeeDee and I spent a girl’s week in Iceland. We arrived on the morning of an overnight flight from Seattle, tired and grumpy. Fortunately for us, Mads had planned our first Icelandic adventure at the Blue Lagoon Retreat, where we marinated in the thermal waters, restoring our spirits in the mineral lagoon. Later that afternoon we were whisked to Reykjavik’s Black Pearl Penthouse, each of us having our own bedroom and bath and a private elevator. We were met by Thor, fun and gregarious, who gave us a walking food tour of Reykjavik, with numerous stops to sample the Icelandic diet as well as culture. The next morning we saddled up for the Red Lava Horse Riding Tour. The afternoon was free, so we hit the highlights of Reykjavik, including viewing “Fly Over Iceland,” the Harpa Concert Hall, and the Icelandic Phallological Museum, the only one of its kind in the world.

In the morning we were greeted by Glumer, who was anything but glum. Knowledgable and a comic, Glumer drove us the remainder of the week, where we explored numerous waterfalls (Seljalandfoss, Blaskogabyggo, Snaefellsjokull), hiking up 471 steps for the Skogafoss waterfall overview to share a brilliant rainbow with others. We also watched baby puffins on a mountain ledge at play. Another highlight was exploring the Katia ice caves with our ice picks in hand. Later, we extracted a loaf of bread that had been geothermally cooked in the hot ground. Our final nights were spent at Hotel Ranga in the Bridal Suite (Room 0), where we sipped wine in the hot tub outside our room, restoring our bodies after much hiking. The best part of the trip was that the mother/daughter relationship was only strengthened, though one expression was noteworthy: Having a daughter is like having a broke best friend who thinks you’re rich.

I would like to recommend both Thor and Glumer as guides. They were terrific.

Cambodia & Thailand: meeting local artisans, a rice-field dinner, and ringside Muay Thai

TAMSEN, ABIGAIL, AND GEORGIA TOAL | AUGUST 21, 2026

WOW trip travelers Tamsen Toal and her daughters especially enjoyed meeting local artisans.

We visited Siem Reap, Cambodia and Bangkok, Thailand in late July for a small girls’ trip, following time in Cambodia for a humanitarian project. It came together last minute through Sandy and Ethan, and they were so helpful and easy to work with. Their colleague Corban especially did a fantastic job coordinating with us, asking the right questions, and communicating promptly to get everything planned on time. Travel was easy throughout with the team booking our regional flights and private drivers.

Our favorite day in Siem Reap was meeting people in the local community, talking with them and learning their craftsmanship. The women we met were so kind and welcoming. A close second was our evening at Villa Chandara, where we were the only guests and felt completely spoiled. The rice field setting at sunset was beautiful.

We enjoyed the Angkor temple tours, but we definitely became “templed out.” Our guide, Silen, was very accommodating with itinerary changes. If you want to see as much as possible, plan more than three days. We preferred the smaller, less crowded temples to Angkor Wat, though you’ll want to see the biggest one either way.

Don’t pass up Jaya House River Park in Siem Reap. The staff were kind and personable, we took advantage of the complimentary spa every day, and we just felt at peace there.

We preferred the slower pace of Siem Reap to Bangkok, though that’s personal preference. We still loved the Chinatown street food vendors, where everything was delicious and the setting was lively. And absolutely go see a Muay Thai match. It was impressive and so fun to experience. We got to know our guide, Kat, well and were grateful for her guidance.

We stayed at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok. It’s beautiful, but we preferred the boutique feel of Jaya House. The Oriental does have a lovely afternoon tea experience.

All in all, a wonderful trip. Corban, our guides, and our drivers made it easy from start to finish, and we’d book through them again without hesitation.

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Australia: climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, meet Tasmania’s wildlife, and explore the Great Barrier Reef

WOW trip traveler Jackie Dickson and family in Sydney Harbour (see the Opera House?)

Planning a trip for a multi-generational family of nine is not an easy task, but thanks to Kylie, we had an exemplary Australian experience.

From the first pick-up at the Sydney airport to our final farewell, everything was perfect. The very busy first day in Sydney was was well paced and super fun. Andrew, our guide, was very knowledgeable and kept up our schedule. The harbour boat ride provided for some great photo opportunities and the opera house tour and bridge climb were unique experiences. Even though our time in Sydney was short, we all felt we saw as much as possible. Everyone would like to return.

Tasmania was wonderful; some adventure, some sightseeing, and a trip down memory lane for me since I lived there for two years in the early 1970s. The Quoll Patrol tour was outstanding, the close encounters with kangaroos delighted us all. Craig and his family were excellent hosts and the surprise and delight of getting up close and personal with kangaroos and wallabies was a highlight for all.

Our Tasmania guide, Patrick, was with us the entire week. He was knowledgeable, fun and very competent, even driving through some unexpected snow. We now think of him as a friend.

I was able to take my family to the places I love in Hobart and they are grateful for the experience. While I renewed friendships, my children and grandchildren were able to connect with their children and grandchildren, amounting to three generations of friendships.

All I can say about Mt. Mulligan is…. it was a fantastic experience. The lodge had something for everyone and we were all extremely impressed. The children were delighted to find a golf cart assigned to every room. Aside from the numerous activities, the rooms were great and the food outstanding, not to mention the amazing staff.

We liked Silky Oaks, but did feel we were a bit overbooked and would have liked to have spent more time around the resort. Our guide Kathy and her assistant, Amy, were the very best, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them exploring the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest.

Coming back to the Capella before returning home was a welcome respite.

Needless to say, I have a very happy family with memories to last a lifetime.

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Kenya: private conservancies with uncrowded viewing of close-up wildlife

WOW trip traveler Ashley Point and her family never got tired of the animals and incredible landscape.

Dan and his team planned the trip of a lifetime for our family of five (2 adults and 3 kids, ages 14, 11, and 8), and we could not recommend them more highly!

From our very first conversation, Dan took the time to really understand what we wanted from our safari. He recommended Kenya and private conservancies so we could experience the wildlife up close while avoiding the crowds. Wow—was he right! On our very first day, we were within 10 feet of a pride of lions eating a buffalo. It was absolutely incredible and set the tone for the entire trip.

Over two unforgettable weeks (Aug 1-14, 2026), we saw everything we had hoped for—and so much more: rhinos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, jackals, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, buffalo, hundreds of species of birds, and countless other incredible moments. Dan recommended staying for two weeks, and we are so glad we listened. We stayed at three completely different camps, each with its own unique setting and personality. Two were amazing glamping-style camps (Kicheche Laikipia and Kicheche Mara North) while the third (Saurni Samburu) was a collection of beautiful villas built into the rocks. Every location was spectacular, and the people were warm, welcoming, and wonderful.

And the guides? Exceptional. They were incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, patient, and never once seemed tired of answering our 1,000+ questions! They shared their knowledge of the animals, the environment and their culture.

Dan also went above and beyond to make our family feel special. August is the birthday month for two of our kids, and he made sure they were celebrated at every location. Those thoughtful touches made the experience even more memorable.

Our daily routine was nothing short of magical. We would wake up to coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and cookies before heading out on our first game drive. We’d have breakfast in the bush, return for lunch and a nap, enjoy afternoon tea, then head out again for our second game drive—with drinks in the bush before dinner. Each truck was equipped with 7 seats and it was just our family with our own private guide. This allowed us to focus on experiences that were important to us. The days were long, but we never once got tired of seeing the animals or taking in the incredible landscape.

We also felt incredibly safe throughout the entire experience. Each evening, we were personally escorted back to our tent because of the wildlife roaming around the camps—a reminder that we were truly immersed in the African wilderness!

This was so much more than a vacation. It was an unforgettable family adventure filled with wildlife, incredible people, breathtaking scenery, and memories we will talk about for the rest of our lives. We enjoyed hours of talking with our family throughout each day. No screens allowed!

Dan and his team exceeded every expectation. We would recommend them without hesitation to all of our friends and family.

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Italy: family truffle-hunting, pasta-making with a chef, and Murano glassblowing

Truffle hunting in Tuscany was a trip highlight for WOW trip traveler Jennifer Friedman and her family.

Our trip to Italy was spectacular because of Jennifer and her team. From the first moment we met over Zoom, I knew that they would be the perfect advisor to help us plan our trip. My husband and I wanted to bring our 17-year-old daughter with us and show her all the incredible things that Italy had to offer. Keeping a 17 year-old entertained is not easy and Jennifer and her team made sure that every activity we had booked was energetic and fun for all.

We started off in Rome and saw the entire city on a fun golf cart tour. Our guide took us places that we definitely could not have seen or known about without him. We went to the Vatican and the Colosseum and our guide was absolutely fantastic, making it relevant and keeping our 17 year-old engaged. We also did a private pizza and gelato class which was yummy! We then took a day trip to Pompeii and Naples and had a wonderful driver and guide who really illuminated every piece of what we were seeing. From there, we took the train to Florence, which we absolutely loved. Leonardo, our guide, was spectacular. Everything was tailored to our likes and we enjoyed every minute. As my daughter and I are avid shoppers, we took a day trip to the Tuscany designer outlets, which was absolutely a highlight of the trip. Needless to say we did not come back empty-handed. The next day we had a wonderful trip to go truffle hunting in Tuscany. This was absolutely the highlight of our vacation. Our guide and dog were ranked top 10 in the country and we ended up finding at least 10 truffles. We then had a private chef teach us how to make pasta and a delicious meal using our truffles. I highly recommend doing this, as it was our favorite thing.

From there, we hopped on a train to Venice. The hotel in Venice was stunning, the breakfast was absolutely wonderful. The only thing I would probably change would be to only stay in Venice for two days, as we stayed for three. Our guide, Orsula, was wonderful and we really loved her. She took us to Murano, but made sure to take us to a beautiful contemporary glass factory where we had a private glass blowing experience. Just spectacular! We then went to Bono and watched the artisans make lace, which was very interesting. The last day we ended up going to Lido for a much-needed rest and beach day.

We wanted a luxury vacation and that’s exactly what we got. Every hotel was five star and top notch, the service was impeccable, our drivers were efficient, always on time and communicative. We would receive a text every day detailing our next day’s itinerary. If we had any questions, they would immediately respond. I can’t say enough about this company. Every restaurant, every detail was curated perfectly. They will be my first phone call when we decide to explore the Amalfi Coast!

Kenya: Baseball in the Bush, spear throwing, and a family safari

WOW trip travelers Rich and Gayle Rediker had a sporty WOW Moment playing baseball and soccer in Kenya.

Just back from a multi-generational family trip to Kenya. For our 50th anniversary, my wife and I took our 3 daughters and their husbands with our 6 grandchildren to Kenya for a safari. Our ages were 6 to 74.

It is not simple organizing the logistics of 4 families, and Cherri and her staff made sure everything went like clockwork. We spent 4 nights at Blixen Camp in the Masai Mara and 3 nights at Larsens in the arid Samburu region.

Besides all of the great sightings on our safaris, the highlight was our amazing WOW Moment of Baseball in the Bush. Cherri knew we liked baseball, and arranged what was possibly the first ever baseball game in Kenya. We were hosted at a local school and bases were set up on a soccer field. The 13 of us first taught local volunteers how to play and then we had a game.

Following the game, we all participated in spear throwing, archery, and jumping. Lastly, we had a combined soccer game with the 13 of us playing alongside of locals. All 6 grandchildren, from 6 to 15, enthusiastically participated and had a great time.

While I am am experienced “arrange it myself” traveler, this moment was not something I ever could have arranged. It took Cherri’s contacts on the ground and months of preparation.

Norway: fjords, mountain hikes, fishing with a local—and eating on his family’s island

When fishing in Knutholmen, the water’s clean and fish cooked to order. Photo: WOW trip traveler Brian Liu

This was the most perfect trip in the most beautiful country. We just arrived back from a 10-day trip to Norway from the end of July to the beginning of August. Torunn and her team curated a trip that fit exactly what we needed. Originally, it was to be just our immediate family of 4, but then the group grew to 11 as extended family wanted to be a part of this trip as well. Torunn’s team—specifically Danny—pivoted and after much back and forth came up with an incredible trip. With more people traveling, I was worried that it wasn’t going to work. But Danny was so committed that he said, “Let me try just one more time,” and bam, he came up with the perfect itinerary.

Our favorite was Knutholmen. Most people don’t know about this place, but Danny assured us and said these are great hosts, and the location was so beautiful. The air was clean, the water fresh. Danny arranged for us to take a hike into the mountains and also our favorite, the fishing trip with a fourth generation fisherman who took us out fishing and crabbing, and then took us to who his family home (where he grew up) and their own island and cooked us our catch. Absolutely incredible. And the hosts were great—the owner Sven hugged us when it was time to leave.

The fjords and glaciers are gorgeous. Pictures you see don’t do it justice, but Danny arranged it so we traveled by both ferry and by car—much as the way the locals do. We were so relaxed that we would go days without realizing what day it was.

A truly remarkable journey. Words cannot do it justice. . .you must go to see really understand what a beautiful country Norway is. And Torunn and her entire team will make sure your trip is perfect. So thank you to them for an absolutely incredible trip, one that we will remember forever. Thank you!

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China & Japan: glassblowing with artisans, hands-on traditions, and a Great Wall lunch

WOW trip travelers Julie and Jim Clark raise a toast during a private lunch atop the Great Wall of China.

Once again, the WOW List delivered! We just returned from an unforgettable journey through China and Japan, thanks to our selected travel expert, Andrea.

Andrea and his colleague Ina matched our personality and travel style perfectly—attentive to every detail, consistently communicative, and full of fun energy. We loved the balance of cultural sights with active/interactive experiences and especially appreciated the planned experiences they arranged with locals. It was exactly the kind of immersive travel we love.

Additionally, Andrea was an excellent problem solver. This was demonstrated early when we realized we’d missed the window to apply for our China visas. This could have been a trip buster, but Andrea and the team immediately stepped in, contacted the US–China consulate, and laid out streamlined options to resolve the issue. No problem for them, the trip was saved, and we were off on our adventure.

There were so many memorable moments to our China/Japan trip. Beijing China was a surprising delight. We explored the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and historical sites as well as experienced modern city life with technology and high-end stores displayed. We exercised and had playful interactions with locals in the park, attended Tai Chi class, enjoyed fabulous food tours, and were even invited into the home of a cricket master in the hutongs. Then off to Japan. It was everything we imagined and more, and included several memorable moments. We biked the Art Islands, hiked to beautiful shrines, explored incredible gardens, and enjoyed more wonderful food tours. We tried our hand at bonsai, repaired pottery with gold leaf, made soba noodles, meditated with a monk, experienced sumo wrestling and traditional tea ceremonies, and met up with friends and family who were living in Japan.

But the most impressive experience—and our ultimate WOW Moment—happened while hiking the Great Wall of China. The hike itself was spectacular. The weather was perfect, the views were amazing, and we felt that simply being there was a WOW experience. But there was more to come!

As lunchtime approached, our guide, Joanne, suggested we have a quick snack from our backpacks and continue hiking to a lookout just ahead, where we could sit and eat our packed lunches. Hungry and ready for a break, we made our way up to the lookout.

When we finally reached the top—SURPRISE! Waiting for us was a beautifully set, white-linen dining table complete with roses, champagne, delicious hot food, salads, and dessert. Wow!

Sitting atop the Great Wall, surrounded by those incredible views and enjoying this completely unexpected and beautifully orchestrated lunch, was a moment we will never forget. How they managed to get all of that up there was amazing.

Andrea, Ina and the entire team created a journey filled with adventure, cultural connections, laughter, surprises, and memories we will treasure for years to come. They didn’t just plan a trip—they created experiences we never could have imagined on our own.

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Georgia & Armenia: Caucasus scenery, historic monasteries, and wine country

WOW trip traveler Bunny Lenhard and her granddaughter visited mountains and monasteries in Armenia.

My 20 year old granddaughter and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Georgia and Armenia. We wanted to see as much of both countries as possible within our two-week trip.

Our travel expert, Johnny and Dan’s colleague Kenny, designed a trip which suited us perfectly. My granddaughter gravitates toward history and museums while I lean more to outdoor experiences and wine. Kenny melded the two perfectly by creating a balance that worked for both of us. And our wonderful guide, Jane, facilitated everything perfectly.

We began in Tbilisi, which is a wonderful walkable city with much to offer historically and aesthetically. Old Town Tbilisi is filled with hidden restaurants, wine bars and the wonderful Gabriadze Puppet Theater, where we were treated to a WOW Moment followed by a lovely dinner. The puppet show was definitely one of the highlights of our time in Tbilisi. Other highlights included making khachapuri, a cheese filled bread, and khinkali, dumplings with a variety of fillings. After our cooking class we ate lunch in the garden under a grapevine-covered trellis.

We traveled from Tbilisi to the Kakheti area of Georgia, which is one of the main wine areas in the country. We began in the lovely historic town of Sighnaghi and spent 2 days exploring the region. We also had another wonderful lunch in a garden at a local farmer’s home.

Our next destination was the beautiful Caucasus mountains in Stepantsminda, where we hiked to the Gergeti Church in the shadow of 16,600′ Mt. Kazbek. The scenery throughout the area is simply breathtaking. We left the mountains and drove to Gori, where we explored the fascinating Stalin museum, and from there completed our 10 days in Georgia in Vardzia, another wonderfully scenic area where there are mountain caves which include a church from the 12th century. It was great fun meandering through the caves.

We were escorted across the border into Armenia and picked up by our Armenian guide to drive to the historic town of Dilijan for hiking. From Dilijan we drove to Yerevan. Yerevan is a beautiful cosmopolitan city filled with museums and theaters. It is also a vibrant and lively city with nightly shows around the many fountains featuring Armenian dancing and singing. Yerevan is filled with parks and wonderful restaurants, cafes, and wine bars. Our last day in Armenia was spent touring the Southern mountainous part of the country, which included several beautiful monasteries and a fascinating excavation from the Copper Age, which includes the world’s oldest known winery from 6100 years ago.

We loved both Georgia and Armenia. They are vastly different in so many ways, food and culture among them. Yet they are both marvelous and fascinating and so worth visiting.

We both learned so much, saw such wonderful scenery, ate delicious food, and made many wonderful memories together. Kenny understood exactly what was important to us and created a wonderful itinerary which exceeded our expectations.

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Mongolia: Nomadic culture, Naadam, eagle-hunting and the Gobi Desert

WOW trip traveler Julie Heimark and her family visited a Kazakh eagle hunter in western Mongolia.

If you enjoy authentic adventure travel, Mongolia needs to be at the top of your list. Jalsa and Undraa planned and executed a three-week trip for our family of three to celebrate our son’s high school graduation. Why Mongolia? In our son’s words—“the unique culture: the language and nomadic steppe culture is like nowhere else in the world.”

For planning, we put ourselves completely in Undraa’s hands. The only parameter was to time our trip for July so that we could attend the Nadaam festival.

The pre-planning communication was easy and frequent. We particularly appreciated the extensive pre-trip reading and music lists. One of us read ten suggested books in preparation; one of us read zero. The in-country services were excellent. We had a dedicated guide the entire time, from the moment we exited international arrivals to the time we said goodbye at the curb to start the long trip home. We cannot emphasize enough how much this elevated our trip. Our guide smoothed the bumps and ensured the road rose up to meet us. The Chinggis Khan museum is fascinating—but difficult to access because all the captions are in Mongolian. Undraa arranged for us and our guide to lunch with and visit the museum with a university professor of Mongolian studies who had consulted on the museum’s exhibits. Likewise, there was a monsoon the day of opening ceremonies. Our guide was in constant communication with our driver and with some artful dodging we were able to extricate ourselves from the crowds. (By contrast, some fellow travelers we met did not enjoy the museum because there were no English audio guides available and had to walk miles back to the hotel in the torrential rain because they couldn’t get a rideshare/taxi.)

Nadaam—the Mongolian mid-summer celebration—is a must-see. Opening ceremonies with thousands of costumed dancers, performers, singers, acrobats, horses, yaks, camels, reindeer, and fireworks. Chinggis Khan’s white horsetail standards are ceremonially presented and Chinggis Khan himself periodically gallops through, steed rearing. We all waved Mongolian flags and shouted “ypaa!” The games themselves are wrestling, archery, shagai kharvaa (ankle bone shooting). Each successful wrestler performs their eagle dance in front of Chinggis Khan’s horsetail standards. The next day we joined 500,000 others and journeyed to a grassy valley to watch the horse racing—1,000 horses racing 25 kilometers across the open steppe, ridden by 6-year-old kids. We spent the day under the vast blue sky with thousands of horses, visiting gers (yurts), eating khuushuur (fried mutton pastry), and drinking suutei tsai (hot salty milk tea).

We stayed four nights at Three Eagle camp in Bayan-Ölgiy, the far western province where Mongolia converges with Russia and China. We spent our days speeding across open countryside—no roads, bridges, or towns—visiting Mongolian and Kazakh nomads in their gers. The vista of rolling hills and snowcapped mountains was as expansive as the hospitality. It’s difficult to convey what a truly authentic experience it was. Yes, we were tourists, but these families we visited are not a living museum or tourist attraction, they are friends and acquaintances of our Kazakh fixer, ordinary people just living their lives. Albeit in a one room tent with no electricity or running water. Mongolian or Kazakh, the ger is redolent of fermenting goats milk and mutton and the welcome is warm. We drank endless bowls of hot milky tea with butter and strategized how to select the smallest piece of sour dried goats milk curd to nibble daintily and discreetly pocket the rest. We met eagle hunters and archers, exchanged the traditional snuff bottle greeting, explored Bronze Age deer stones. And we returned gratefully each evening to our base camp and the luxury of vegetables, hot running water, and bio toilets.

We also stayed four nights in the Gobi at the Three Camel Lodge. Following in Roy Chapman Andrews’ footsteps, we explored the Flaming Cliffs, home to some of the most important paleontological finds of the 20th century, and a place where protoceratops fossils continue to peek out of the red sandstone. We hiked through the wild flowers of the Yol valley where pika scamper, ibex graze, and majestic lammergeiers soar overhead. We visited a camel herder’s ger where we bravely accepted bowls of fermented camel’s milk but wisely declined the roasted marmot before we rode the two humped Bactrians over ochre dunes. The Three Camel Lodge and its Thirsty Camel bar is the jewel of the Gobi and an eco-lodge destination in itself.

Not only should you go to Mongolia with Undraa, you should go now. It is difficult to see how this nomadic culture can survive the 21st century. Everyone we met, both fellow travelers and Mongolians themselves, shared our fear that in twenty years visitors will be visiting the “museum of nomadic life” instead of the nomads themselves. Mongolia was the most authentic, “real” destination we have visited (including the Amazon and the Namib). There is literally nowhere like Mongolia in the world.

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Chile: Rapa Nui moai, otherworldly Atacama desert, sophisticated lodge and private guide

WOW trip traveler Lucia Seaver enjoys drinks in the “otherworldly” desert.

Rapa Nui and Atacama Desert (July1-July 18): possibly two of the world’s most beautiful, remote, iconic and strikingly opposite landscapes in one spectacular journey!

Jordan and team delivered an excellent service while exploring the Patagonia and Lake Districts a few years back. This time is no different. His colleague Colin (a trip specialist based in Santiago) crafted and designed our itinerary flawlessly!

Weather: this is winter season in the Southern Hemisphere. Both places delivered cool temps which was an ultimate relief from DC’s hot and humid weather. One of the many reasons we chose to visit during this time. A few days of on and off rain with gusty wind in Rapa Nui—good spa day! The Atacama Desert pure bliss!!

Rapa Nui: The island’s mystery, gigantic Moai statues and ahu structures, the island lore, the ancient Orongo ceremonial village, the exquisite quarry with over 400 Moai at various level of completions….the whole island is an adventurer’s paradise! We stayed at Nayara Hangaroa for five nights to fully engage and experience their guided excursions. Top notch local Rapa Nui guides! The Nayara excursion team was outstanding in every way possible. We appreciated the multiple private excursions! Beautiful facilities and delightful culinary offerings with warm and personalized service!

Atacama Desert: vast expanse of the highland desert, otherworldly and dramatic terrain and landscapes, bluesy clear skies and the Andean Altiplano….and so much more! Tierra Atacama for seven nights stay. An elegant and sophisticated lodge with a stunning views of the Licancabur volcano and other towering Andean volcanoes! A dream stay with personalized and outstanding service! Our kind, personable and knowledgeable private guide Carlos curated our daily activities based on our interests and pacing. A truly exceptional experience. A suite stay comes with a private guide and vehicle which was an ideal for us. It offers complete flexibility. Oh, the sumptuous culinary standouts were impressive with service to match. Our utmost gratitude to the entire Tierra team for taking care of us!

Kudos to Colin and Jordan for another memorable journey. We thank you!!

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Italy: exploring Venice canals, Lake Como, and Valpolicella’s vineyards

WOW trip traveler Don Daszkowski and his family enjoyed restaurants that exceeded expectations.

Our family had an incredible trip through Venice, Verona, the Valpolicella wine region, Lake Como, and Milan, and we couldn’t have been happier with the planning and execution. Every detail was thoughtfully organized, allowing us to simply enjoy the experience instead of worrying about logistics.

From the moment we arrived in Italy, everything flowed seamlessly. We loved exploring the canals of Venice, spending time in the beautiful city of Verona, enjoying an unforgettable day in the Valpolicella wine region, relaxing on Lake Como, and finishing with world-class shopping in Milan. Every hotel, private guide, driver, restaurant recommendation, and excursion exceeded our expectations.

One of the things that truly set Jennifer and her team apart was their availability throughout the trip. We had a dedicated WhatsApp group with the travel team, and someone was always available to answer questions, make recommendations, or help with anything we needed. They also accommodated several last-minute requests and changes without hesitation, making adjustments that helped turn a great trip into a perfect one. That level of service gave us tremendous peace of mind throughout the vacation.

The private tours were outstanding, the guides were knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about sharing their cities and history. Every transfer was punctual, professional, and stress-free. The itinerary struck the perfect balance between sightseeing, relaxation, shopping, food, wine, and authentic local experiences.

One service we highly recommend is the VIP airport greeter and porter service. It made arriving and departing remarkably easy, from baggage assistance to navigating the airport efficiently. After experiencing it, we would consider it a must-have for anyone looking for a smooth, stress-free travel experience.

Jennifer and her team clearly have exceptional relationships throughout Italy, and it showed. Every aspect of the trip was handled professionally, making it one of the most enjoyable family vacations we have ever taken. Their attention to detail, responsiveness, flexibility, and ability to create unforgettable experiences made all the difference. We would absolutely recommend Jennifer and her team to anyone considering a trip to Italy and look forward to traveling with them again.

British Columbia: rainforest hikes, whale watching, and Tofino’s wild coast

We just got back from a wonderful trip to Vancouver and Tofino, British Columbia. Marc and his team helped us plan a trip for my sisters and our husbands away from the usual British Columbia tourist destinations. His colleagues Lena, Fiona and their crew started us off in Vancouver with a day-long tour of the city. We toured Stanley Park, crossed the less well known Lynn Canyon suspension bridge, marveled at First Nation totem poles, and enjoyed an elaborate picnic at a quiet fish hatchery. Barry was a wonderful ambassador and guide for his beautiful city.

We then flew by sea plane to Tofino. Our Pacific Sands accomodations by Cox Bay provided access to an enormous beach, beautiful sunsets, fire pits with s’mores, and ocean views. Days were spent hiking in the old growth rainforest, walking along Florencia Beach, foraging at Tonquin Bay, and then partaking in all manner of sea vessels. We saw bears along the coast from a Zodiac boat, tracked a whale diving for krill in a cabin cruiser, and paddled among seals in sea kayaks. Wildlife watching among the islands was a highlight of the trip.

Marc’s team did a great job of showing us a part of British Columbia none of us had visited and all of us want to return to.

Norway: private fjords cruising, local hospitality, and unforgettable music

WOW trip traveler Lary Burton and his friends called the trip “as close to perfect as a vacation could be.”

Norway Beyond Our Expectations

Wendy’s introduction to Torunn’s team was one of the best travel recommendations we’ve ever received. Her colleague Thea created an experience that exceeded every expectation. When we first began planning, our goal was simple: see the Norwegian fjords on a cruise. Thea encouraged us to consider a combination of land and water travel instead.

Looking back, that advice made all the difference. We shared the proposed itinerary with two friends who had already explored the fjords twice by ship. After reviewing our itinerary, they immediately asked if they could join us. Our group grew from four travelers to six before the journey even began. Thirteen days later, as we departed Bergen, all six of us agreed that the trip was as close to perfect as any vacation could be.

From the moment we landed in Oslo until our departure from Bergen, every detail was flawlessly executed. The hotels, drivers, guides, transfers, and extraordinary accommodations were exceptional. Whether we were staying waterside, tucked into a mountainside retreat, or enjoying the charm of a historic property, every stop felt carefully chosen and perfectly suited to the experience.

One of the highlights was an eight-hour private boat excursion with our captain, Christian. He introduced us to spectacular scenery that simply cannot be appreciated from a large cruise ship. We visited a small island where we enjoyed lunch at a remarkable outdoor restaurant that served sparkling cider produced on-site. Our nearly new 40-foot boat was immaculate, and being picked up directly from our hotel dock felt like something out of a luxury travel magazine.

Another unforgettable experience was our stay in Aurland. Everything about it was magical: the accommodations, the food, the setting, and the warmth of the staff. We honestly wished we had planned one more night there. During dinner, the owner joined us and shared the fascinating history of 29/2 Aurland, adding a personal touch that transformed a wonderful stay into a memorable one.

At Haaheim Gaard, we experienced one of the most unique moments of the trip. The owner led us on a tour of the property, played a traditional wooden instrument whose haunting sound echoed off the surrounding mountains, and then took us to the chapel, where he serenaded us with opera. His beautiful voice, combined with his humor and local storytelling, had our entire group laughing and smiling throughout the evening. As incredible as the accommodations and excursions were, Norway itself stole the show. Since returning home, many people have asked me what Norway was like. My answer is always the same: it is the most consistently beautiful country I have ever visited. Every turn in the road revealed another breathtaking view. And perhaps the greatest lesson from the trip is this: If you truly want to experience the fjords, don’t see them only from a cruise ship. The beauty of the fjords is undeniable, but the heart of Norway is found on land, in its villages, mountains, people, and unforgettable experiences.

As if the trip needed one more moment of “wow,” our hotel in Oslo was just one block from the Royal Palace when the Norwegian national football team returned home. More than 100,000 people gathered to celebrate their achievements, and we found ourselves unexpectedly immersed in a national celebration. That’s a memory that will be very difficult to top.

Thank you, Wendy, Torunn, Thea, and the entire team, for creating an adventure that none of us will ever forget. We’ve taken many wonderful trips, but this one set a new standard for what travel can be. Norway captured our hearts, and this planning team made it happen.

Ireland: behind-the-scenes theater, Irish music traditions, and a Donegal sheep farm

GREGORY MANTSIOS AND LORI SMITH | JULY 20, 2026

Our 10 day Ireland trip was planned by Louise and her colleague Liz. We hoped for a trip that would give us a strong sense of the social and political issues facing Ireland, since the famine and great migration to the present, in addition to experiencing the culture and natural beauty of the country. Louise and Liz suggested that for our purposes, a tour with an emphasis on Northern Ireland rather than the more iconic Wild Atlantic Coast tour. Although we were somewhat unsure, we went with their suggestion and were incredibly glad we did.

We began with 2 night stays in both Dublin and Belfast. Our first day in Dublin began with a 1916 Easter Rising tour of the City with Adam, who was smart, personable and deeply immersed in the past and present political environment of Ireland. That experience was a great backdrop for a later deeply moving tour of Kilmainham Gaol. In Belfast we visited an exhibition at a church near the peace wall called “The Falls: Where the Troubles Began,” suggested by Liz. This hard-to-find, low-tech exhibit with photographs, videos and interviews from local residents was surprisingly powerful and moving. A deep discussion with the knowledgeable docent who spoke with extreme nuance and clarity about Irish struggles was the icing on the cake. These candid political discussions continued throughout our stay in Ireland at the Emigrant’s Walk, in Derry, and with guides and regular “folk” we met along the way.

We also had memorable cultural immersion, spending half a day with two accomplished musicians and a dancer in both a recording studio and a local pub, where we learned about the traditions, music, and dance that lie in the heart of Irish culture. Perhaps the most unforgettable cultural experience was an extraordinary tour of the Abbey Theatre replete with meetings with actors, technicians, and even walking on the set of the present production. It was unlike any other theatre tour we have taken in its breadth and access.

In addition, the natural beauty of Northern Ireland was outstanding with highlights including Dunluce Castle, Slieve League, and especially our tour with a local sheep farmer and his wife who taught us about their craft, showed us peat bogs, and let us hold newborn lambs. We also fed the lambs and the host was kind enough to feed us as well while we discussed the beauty and hardship of making a living off the land. A trip to a weaver in Donegal was also exceptional with his kind and patient explanation of his art and the purchase of a beautiful Irish vest that Greg wears proudly.

An account of our trip would not be complete without expressing our gratitude for our extraordinary guide, Mairead, who was with us each of the last five days of our trip. She was attentive to our every need, even bringing much needed extra clothing on our expeditions. She was knowledgeable and professional while also being so kind, warm, personable, and great fun! The trip was immeasurably enhanced by her presence. Also, her photo journal of our trip was beautiful!

Louise and Liz did a great job meeting our diverse interests on this trip and exceeded our expectations. The accommodations were comfortable and well located. The local guides were friendly and generous with their time and reflections. It was truly the trip of a lifetime for us both!

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WOW trip travelers Susan Gulick and Sara Shoob strolled from the Glacier Museum to see the Boyabreen Glacier.

Wow! We just returned from a spectacular trip to Scandinarefully to our wish list and provided experiences that went beyond our expectations. The trip was filled with spectacular scenery, cities, towns, historic hotels, fjords, glaciers, art, history, goats, sheep and alpacas. Our guides were outstanding and balanced tours with free time so we could visit sights and museums on our own

We started in two cities, Stockholm and Copenhagen, and ended our trip in Oslo. In each, we had outstanding guides and explored the highlights. We were especially moved by sites relating to the Nobel Prizes in Stockholm and Oslo. As art lovers, we enjoyed the Vasa Museum, the Louisiana Museum of Contemporary Art, the Kistafos Museum, complete with a surprise picnic lunch, and the Vigeland Park with beautifully carved statues depicting the creative life.

So, what was in the middle of the city bookends? Some of the most unique experiences of the trip! After a city tour in Bergen, we began our exploration along the Sognefjord, the longest fjord in Norway. We stayed in historic hotels where we were welcomed graciously. One bedroom at the Store Ringham Hotel had been part of a farm dating to the 1600’s. Our wonderful host, Lindis from the Besta Bakken Hotel, took us on a day-long outing. At each turn, the scenery was spectacular. She recounted myths that children learn at an early age, identified plants, and cooked traditional Norwegian meals (complete with brown cheese).

There is no doubt that this trip was extraordinary. On our own, we probably could have found tours in the cities. But through Torunn’s team we had unique experiences tailored specifically to our interests. Our only regret was that we could have stayed longer.

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Turkey: insider knowledge avoids Topkapi lines, finds dining gems and Bosphorus breakfasts

Karen did a great job planning our four day visit to Istanbul. Our guide took us to a nice mix of must-see tourist spots (Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sofia, etc) combined with off-the-beaten-path sites like a neighborhood restaurant to sample Turkish cuisine that was filled with locals, not a tourist in sight.

While at Topkapi Palace, our guide noticed that the swarm of tourists were engrossed watching a military parade and that the line to the Crown Jewels was nearly empty. She positioned us to both see the parade and then hop over to be first in line for Crown Jewels. That on-the-fly insider knowledge made our visit much more pleasant.

Karen also steered us to the new Peninsula Hotel, which is a marvelous property with front row views over the water to the Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sofia. Eating breakfast in the waterfront garden while watching the boat traffic on the Bosphorus was a daily treat. Karen suggested nightly dinner reservations within walking distance of the hotel. We never had to walk more than 10 minutes and every restaurant was outstanding.

Karen was a pleasure to work with one the trip and transfers went off without a hitch. Highly recommend.

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French Polynesia: exploring ancient marae, hiking waterfalls, snorkeling with manta rays

The flight to Bora Bora showcases its array of blue waters. Photo: WOW trip traveler Barbara Myerson Katz

We recently returned from French Polynesia, on a trip beautifully planned by Kleon. This was a destination we’ve wanted to visit for a while, but for a variety of reasons, we started the planning process less than three months before we wanted to go. Kleon delivered and then some!

We aimed to combine the things we love in a travel adventure: Opportunities to explore land, sea and wildlife; to connect with people, history and culture; and to relax along the way.

We started on beautiful, quiet Huahine, which Kleon accurately described as “the real Polynesia,” staying at a lovely boutique hotel with simple bungalows strung along a stretch of white sand beach with palm trees for shade. The hotel staff was welcoming and helpful—even sending someone to buy sunscreen for us after we had our larger size container confiscated at the airport in Pape’ete—and arranged a terrific island tour with views from mountainside gardens and stops at a vanilla plantation, a pearl farm, and ancient marae, the open-air temples and burial sites of early island inhabitants.

On Moorea, Kleon booked us into another beautiful, quiet resort where our bungalow was steps from a gorgeous beach. We enjoyed a Polynesian dance and music show, including traditional fire dancing on the beach; had a fabulous snorkeling adventure over reefs teeming with corals, beautiful fish, and giant sea turtles; and took a challenging, spectacular private hike to a mountain waterfall, guided (barefoot!) by a delightful Moorean woman who regaled us with stories of Polynesian history and detailed information about every plant and tree we encountered—ending with a delicious feast of native fruits.

Finally, we visited beautiful Bora Bora, staying in an overwater bungalow with an unobstructed view of 2300-foot Mount Otemanu towering over the water with its amazing shades of aqua and blue. Although we’ve been to multiple islands in Hawaii, which we’ve loved, Bora Bora truly felt like the fictional Bali Hai. We went on another wonderful snorkeling adventure—this time, swimming through coral gardens and with giant, iridescent manta rays and (friendly!) reef sharks. On our final night, we went on an evening stargazing tour to a tiny island, home to a gentleman who described the vast migration of the ancient Polynesians throughout the South Pacific, and we gazed, as they did, at the Milky Way and the constellations of the southern hemisphere.

All along the way, every transfer on land, sea and air, was flawless; accommodations were low-key, beautiful and comfortable; Kleon’s restaurant recommendations were excellent; everyone we encountered was welcoming and helpful; and the pace was a perfect combination of seeing, doing and relaxing. We felt independent yet guided and cared for—exactly what we asked for and the way we like to travel.

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Peru: hiking to Machu Picchu, riding luxury trains, exploring Inca history

DAVID BROWN AND RACHEL GARB | JULY 7, 2026

WOW trip travelers David Brown and Rachel Garb view Machu Picchu on their way down from the Sun Gate.

We’re back from an amazing trip to Peru in May 2026, planned by Tom from the WOW List. It was great working with Tom and his whole team throughout the planning process: we mostly just knew we wanted to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, but Tom figured out the most natural way to string it all together with lots of great experiences along the way.

Our guide Jose for Machu Picchu and Cusco was amazing, and the best local guide we’ve ever had in our travels so far. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about all the culture and history from the Incas through modern Peru, and was able to bring it all together into a story that unfolded naturally as we worked through all 3 circuits of Machu Picchu, and then the temples and archaeological sites in Cusco. And huge thanks to Jose for his help and encouragement as we hiked the the final section of the Inca trail into Machu Picchu; the hike was pretty strenuous but totally worth it to be able to walk in through the Sun Gate just like the ancient Incas.

Our guide Alberto on our last day in Peru was also great, even though we only had him for a half-day tour of Arequipa. But Alberto gets special thanks for negotiating with the LATAM folks at Arequipa airport to get us on to an earlier flight to Lima (after our original flight was delayed!) so that we didn’t have to worry about missing our flight back to the US.

All of Tom’s hotel recommendations turned out to be great as well; the Sol y Luna in the Sacred Valley and the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge at Machu Picchu were the top highlights. Tom also set up the train travel we were hoping for: he dealt with booking the Belmond Hiram Bingham for the trip back from Machu Picchu to Cusco, and then the Andean Explorer for a great 3-day trip to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa with several super-interesting side excursions along the way (and great food and drinks, of course).

Huge thanks to Tom for designing a great trip, and to our amazing guides Jose and Alberto.

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Italy: shopping private ateliers, crafting luminaria, cooking with locals, biking to a winery

WOW trip traveler Virginia Socolof and her sister Caren hold their handmade luminaria.

My sister Caren and I planned a girls’ trip to Puglia with the help of Antonello and his colleague Valeria, and it was completely fabulous from start to finish! Their intimate knowledge of the area translated into a very personal, bespoke itinerary that kept us busy but in the best way possible. There is no doubt that we had experiences we would never have found on our own, like the shopping tour of 5 private ateliers in Lecce, so successful that we had to buy another suitcase for the trip home. Or the WOW Moment at Lucciole di Puglia in Fasano, where we actually made our own luminaria to bring home—truly the best souvenir ever!

We stayed at 2 very different but equally lovely hotels: Canne Bianche on the beach and Palazzo Lecce in the historic city center. We had a rental car at our disposal and had no problems getting around the area, although parking on the narrow streets stretched my skills. Another highlight was our cooking class in Lecce, and we had such a great time with our chef Maya that we went back to her family’s restaurant Tipico for our last meal. Every day brought a new experience: biking, hiking to a winery for lunch, jewelry making, visiting a sculptor’s workshop—we took every one of their suggestions and wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Puglia is a special place, and the late April weather was perfect. I can’t wait to return with my husband—thank you for a wonderful trip!!

France: exploring hidden Paris, savoring Les Halles de Lyon, discovering Provençal villages

AMY EDEN AND JIM WEINREBE | JULY 4, 2026

WOW trip travelers and “diehard foodies” Amy Eden and Jim Weinrebe sample their way through Les Halles.

Jennifer curated our very first trip to France this past May, and it was amazing. Etienne also worked with us to choreograph a 2 week journey through Paris, Lyon, and Aix en Provence that was everything we could have hoped for. Although Paris was cold and rainy, our incredibly reluded sites off the beaten path, including street art created by locals and Pere Lachaise cemetery

We loved Lyon, and the Cours de Loge Hotel where we stayed is so beautiful it was hard to stop taking pictures. We are diehard foodies, so another highlight in Lyon was the food tour of the eye-popping, mouth-watering Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, where we enjoyed a private food and wine tasting session. Provence was also special, and our day trips to St Remy and Chateau la Coste were memorable. Every hotel and restaurant was fantastic. Tours were varied, responsive to our interests, and comfortably paced to maximize both energy and pleasure.

The ” secret sauce” of the planning group is the unerring attention to detail, the “on the ground” savvy of tour guides, and instant responsiveness to any issues that might arise. Every tour guide is personable, passionate , and knowledgeable. This was our second trip with Jennifer, and we are already thinking about where to go next!

Germany: tracking WWII past and ancestral roots, touring Audi factory and small villages

WOW trip traveler Bonnie Levine with her husband and grandson in front of Neuschwanstein Castle.

We’re just back from a fantastic 10-day trip to Germany with our grandson. It was his destination of choice since he’s taking German in high school, and his very first trip to Europe. We hoped he’d get bitten by the travel bug as a result of this trip, and I think that goal was definitely accomplished! We worked with Claudia and her team because she’s a native of Germany knows the country intimately as only a native could. We were not disappointed! Claudia listened to our objectives and ideas, and from that, crafted an itinerary that took us from Berlin to Munich to the Rhine Valley, with great guides along the way.

In Berlin our focus was on history, particularly Jewish history and WWII. We visited all of the major sites which were quite moving, including a trip to Potsdam. We loved the energy of Berlin and the juxtaposition of its past with its hip, young vibe. In Munich, the guys’ passion for cars was indulged with a private tour of the Audi factory and museum, and we spent a wonderful day in the Bavarian Alps touring the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. In the Rhine Valley, we were blown away by the incredible beauty of the landscape and the postcard-like small German villages. Our guide, a native of the area, took us to places we could never have found on our own. We had a lovely lunch in a local winery and visited several small towns. A particular highlight was a visit to the Jewish cemetery where my ancestors are buried in Hettenleidelheim, Germany. It was a very moving experience for me, which he arranged ahead of time with the curator of the local museum there.

Every part of our trip was great, with lots of special memories created along the way. Claudia was great to work with, from great hotels—including a very cool castle—to very good restaurants, guides and experiences. All very easy, seamless, and a lot of fun!

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Sweden & Norway: celebrating Midsommar, cruising fjords, sharing farm meals with locals

WOW trip travelers Andrea and Claude Stern and friends traveled to Norway for Midsommar.

Torunn, Karl and their colleagues were possibly the best advisors we have ever used on Wendy’s WOW List. We are a well-travelled group of two couples who really enjoy digging into interesting experiences, and the team delivered a two-week summer journey of Sweden and Norway that far exceeded our expectations. It was the perfectly curated balance of personalized, unique opportunities and guided discovery that set this trip apart. One of our goals was to experience the famous Swedish solstice celebration of Midsommar in the archipelago. The team arranged an unforgettable journey to the island of Moja, a 2 hour glorious private boat ride from Stockholm. Linus, our charismatic boat captain, specifically tailored the experience to suit our interests, including an amazing seafood and shellfish lunch and joining his own small village’s lovely parties. Meeting his family and witnessing the warmth of the Midsommar celebration all over the island made for a once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable day.

These beautifully arranged opportunities continued as we moved into Norway and enjoyed the magnificent fjords by private boats and busy Oslo. In fjordland we were transported to a few magical meals with welcoming locals on their charming farm (thank you, amazing John and Edith!), seaside cottage, and even family-owned hillside concert venue. These shared meals were a terrific, memorable way to learn all about Norwegian customs and culture, and we are very appreciative of the effort made by the team for these gestures.

Interestingly, many of these experience providers in both countries indicated that they have enjoyed their long, unique, professional relationships with Torunn’s team—and we believe that was the important “secret sauce” for our spectacular trip. Detail-ladened days unfolded smoothly and were strongly well executed; we could never have arranged for this on our own, even as savvy planners. Of course there were little bumps along the way but the team always took charge to solve them. To that end, the agency uses a bespoke, highly supportive and communicative travel app unlike other agencies’ apps which gave us great comfort. Not only were they in constant communication with us, but quickly jumped in with urgent medical attention and phone follow up, which was greatly appreciated. We are now very excited to return in the winter to see the Northern Lights and can’t wait to see what Up Norway will put together for us. Highly, highly recommend!

Montana and Wyoming: Bozeman fly-fishing, spotting Yellowstone grizzlies, Jackson Hole rodeo

WOW trip travelers Tony Ford-Hutchinson and Jane visit the T.A. Moulton Barn in Grand Teton National Park.

A Family Adventure Through Montana and Wyoming

When I retired, I was presented with a lifetime Senior National Parks Pass, along with the suggestion that perhaps it was time to explore more of our own country. This June, my wife and I put it to use, planning a multigenerational adventure with our grandsons, aged six and nine, along with their parents. Yellowstone seemed the perfect centerpiece.

With the help of Melissa, and after several lively family Zoom calls, we crafted an itinerary that balanced comfort, activity, and a sense of discovery. Our journey began in Bozeman, Montana, followed by a scenic drive to Sage Lodge in Paradise Valley. The setting was spectacular—wide open skies, river valleys, and a sense of immediate escape. During our three-night stay, we enjoyed fly fishing on the lodge’s small lake, a relaxing visit to nearby Chico Hot Springs, and a guided fishing excursion arranged especially for the males of our group.

From there, we headed into Yellowstone National Park, stopping at Mammoth Hot Springs en route before arriving at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. Staying so close to Old Faithful was a treat; my wife and I watched it erupt three times during our stay, each display as mesmerizing as the last. A guided day with Grizzly Country Wildlife Adventures proved equally rewarding, with sightings that included two bears, along with pronghorns, bison, and elk.

Leaving Yellowstone, we made a stop at the Grand Prismatic Spring—an absolute must-see—before continuing on to Jackson Hole. There, we stayed in a condo connected to Trailborn Jackson Hole, which gave us both space and access to the hotel’s amenities. The games room, complete with duckpin bowling, was an immediate hit with our grandsons and their local babysitter.

Melissa had arranged an impressive array of activities: a private wildlife tour of Grand Teton National Park, white-water rafting on the Snake River, a morning trail ride, a covered wagon cookout (the entertainment was cheerfully “cheesy,” but undeniably fun), a sunrise scenic float, and even a private family rock-climbing excursion. During the latter, my wife and I opted for a more tranquil walk around Jenny Lake. One of the most memorable moments of the trip came at the end of our float: a beautifully staged breakfast in a quiet riverside camp, complete with teepees, horses, and a small beaver pond—a WOW Moment from Wendy.

We concluded our adventure at the Jackson Hole Rodeo, a vivid and authentic cultural experience, particularly for those of us more accustomed to life in the Northeast. Our thanks go to Melissa for orchestrating such a thoughtfully planned and thoroughly enjoyable journey—one that our entire family, especially those visiting from Atlanta, will remember for years to come.

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Belgium: tracing WWII history, cruising Ghent canals, making chocolate with a pastry chef

WOW trip travelers Jake and Jill Boerger take in Bruges’ scenery and history.

My husband and I recently returned from a 5 day trip to Belgium planned by Tom. I reached out to him to plan a trip touring Belgium, which we hadn’t toured previously except for a one-day stop in Brussels. We were traveling to Luxembourg and Paris for a specific event and wanted to extend our time in Europe. Tom planned a fantastic itinerary for us focusing on my husband’s love of history, especially WWII, and my interests in culinary programs.

All of our guides were experts as we visited Ardennes—The Battle of the Bulge, Flanders Fields, Bruges, Ghent, and Brussels. Everything was exactly what we had hoped for. The hotels were both great, especially the Hotel Van Cleef in Bruges. What a beauty!

I really didn’t know much about Ghent, but our guide gave us a wonderful walking tour of the city (and she was a beer sommelier who shared a great deal about Belgium beers), followed by a private cruise on the river canals and then an exceptional chocolate workshop that was taught by a husband and wife team who train professional pastry chefs! It was “hands-on” and very educational, plus plenty of chocolates to bring home! A totally unique experience for both of us.

We were so pleased with this trip and would recommend Tom and his team to anyone. I can honestly see why he is on the WOW List.

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England and France: behind-the-scenes Churchill War Rooms, private D-Day tours, Brittany by boat

Travelers Ruth and Gary Reading strolled the clifftop with a view of Etretat’s rock formations.

Just back from England and France. We traveled in late May and early June. We utilized Jennifer’s expert planning for all transportation, tours, tickets and accommodations for our fantastic trip. Our experience began in London with a “behind the glass” tour of the Churchill War Rooms. Truly a VIP experience with the opportunity to actually stand in the rooms where so much history took place. Our adventure in France began with our amazing tour guide, Max, who took us to Etretat and then to Honfleur. Max is such a knowledgeable and entertaining guide. We enjoyed our time with him including his inside knowledge selecting a wonderful restaurant for lunch.

Our stay in Bayeux at the beautiful Hotel Tardif was relaxing, and we particularly enjoyed breakfast each morning with a view of their beautiful gardens and resident cat. Our next two days were spent on private D-Day tours touring Normandy with our fantastic tour guide, Mark. Mark is a former museum curator and his knowledge of history, and the Normandy beaches, is truly outstanding. We were lucky to be there just before the June 6th anniversary and were treated to many unique sights including multiple parachute drops. Journeying to Dinard, we stopped along the way to tour Mont Saint-Michel. And climbed the over 300 steps to the top! Our next stay was at the Castelbrac Hotel & Spa in a beautiful terrace sea view room. We enjoyed observing the drastic tidal changes each day. Our WOW Moment was a private boat tour along the coast.

Another great guide took us to Cancale, where we experienced the delicious Cancale oysters—so unique and tasty. We ended the tour at Saint Malo, where we enjoyed wandering on our own. Then on to Paris. All along the way, all scheduled drivers, guides, and the train trip to Paris went flawlessly. And we received an evening text daily from the planning staff keeping us updated. Arriving in Paris, we enjoyed a half-day city tour including a visit to the Orangerie. And no waiting in the long line with everyone else, thanks to our private guide. The planning team had arranged tickets for us to Napoleon’s Tomb, Musee Rodin, and the Arc De Triomphe, which we visited on our own. Francoise is a fantastic guide who took us to Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, a stroll through the flower market and the 4th arrondissement, including a lovely afternoon stop for espresso and ice cream.

Our final night in Paris ended with a public dinner cruise on the Seine. Once again, Jennifer’s team made an outstanding selection, and the dinner cruise was truly a highlight and the perfect way to end our time in Paris. Food and sights both marvelous! Our flight leaving Paris was ridiculously early so we chose to stay at the airport hotel. Jennifer had arranged VIP porter airport service the morning of our departure. It was so early but we didn’t even need to think. We just followed our wonderful porter, Nicholas, who met us in the hotel lobby at 4:30am, guided us through the airport, security, showed us where our gate was located, and deposited us safely at the VIP lounge.

The entire trip was truly outstanding! It is so worth it to utilize a fabulous trip planner who knows all the ins and outs. Every detail was attended to allowing us to relax and enjoy a wonderful trip!

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Brazil: tracking jaguars with a scientist, game walks, staying on a Pantanal cattle ranch stay

Traveler Susan Crandell takes a game drive with Brook, Zeke, and a jaguar researcher. Photo: Traveler Ryan Damm

This is yet another trip that not only met expectations but soared high above them. The concept that I and my travel companions—daughter Brook, son-in-law Ryan and grandson Zeke—can unite on is animal watching. We initially intended to see polar bears in the Canadian Arctic, but couldn’t get rooms in the lodge until 2027, so we decided to go to Brazil’s Pantanal this summer. Jaguars are the marquee animal, but we also hoped to see giant anteaters, capybaras, toucans, macaws, armadillos and more.

When our travel planner, Paul, suggested two lodges, four nights each, I wondered if this was overkill. But I trusted him so we did what he suggested. And he was so right. Our experiences at both were exceptional and much more different than I had imagined. At Caiman Lodge, we went on game drives twice a day, looking for jaguars and other beasts. In June, at the beginning of the dry season, there was still a lot of water in the marshy floodplain. In fact, the Land Rover got stuck once, but was extracted from the mud readily with an electric winch. We not only saw jaguars, but because they are habituated to the trucks, were able to follow them closely as they went about their daily tasks. We saw an injured female, whose cub was taken by a puma the day before, another mom and cub feasting on a kill, and even a couple mating multiple times. One day, we went out with a scientist who is studying the jaguars. There are collared animals, which means they’re easier to track. In addition to the jaguars, we saw a giant anteater—well, just the back in the tall grass—an ocelot, foxes, and many many birds. We were so close to the jaguars I even captured good pictures with my iPhone.

We were lucky to catch a lightplane, just an hour’s flight to our next place, Baia das Pedras. It’s in a drier region of the Pantanal. Think grasslands more than swamps. Baia das Pedras is a working farm with thousands of cattle, plus pigs and their feral cousins as well. There are just seven rooms, but just one other couple was there with us. We each had our own safari truck and guide. The farm owner (whose family has lived in the Pantanal for 250 years), Rita, was our driver. She and her husband Carlos were generous and involved hosts. They ate with us, buffet style at a long wooden table, and they were around often anticipating our needs. I borrowed a pair of very good binoculars during our stay, such a nice touch.

At Caiman, we had to stay in the truck most of the time because of the jaguars. But here, where jaguars pass through but do not reside, we could do game walks, which were a great treat. The first day we saw 22 newly hatched caiman trundle down to the water where their mother waited. They called out to each other. Magic. There are lots of capybaras on offer, just as they were at Caiman. I love seeing behavior, like the afternoon we watched a pair of Jaribu storks construct a nest. We saw a coati, a peccary, rheas, and a stunning assortment of birds, wildly divergent in color and size.

I would encourage all animal lovers to consider the Pantanal. It is an intimate encounter with the critters, and a delightful experience with well-appointed rooms (but hey, where are the closets), and good food. The only downside: Hungry mosquitos. Long sleeves and a dash of repellent rendered them manageable. I know Africa is the gold standard for safaris. But the Pantanal holds its own for sure.

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Scotland: puffins on Lunga, castles and lighthouses, finding Fingal’s Cave on Staffa Island

The Isle of Lunga is famous as one of the best places in Europe to see puffins. Photo: Traveler Milray Howell

My friend and I went to Scotland for a week from May 19-May 26. We had a day and a half in Edinburgh and then went to the highlands and islands. We had a fantastic guide for the last 5 days of the trip! It was so much more relaxing and efficient having someone drive us and give us so much historical, geographical, and natural history information. We saw so much more than we would ever have discovered on our own. Our guide knew all the secret places to park and best times to visit and where the otters play. We spent a magical day with puffins on Lunga island and saw Fingal’s cave on Staffa. We saw dolphins and seals and castles and lighthouses. Pennygate hotel on the Isle of Mull was a hidden gem with really quaint rooms and fantastic food in a beautiful location. It was even better than we’d hoped it was. Our guide Fiona was fantastic and even got our new favorite sweet treat—Tonnocks Tea cakes! I would definitely use them to help us plan our next trip to Scotland.

French Polynesia: a private yacht charter transforms an overwater-bungalow dream

French Polynesia – June 9-24, 2026

An overwater bungalow (OWB) had long occupied a prominent place on my better half’s bucket list. The image had been burned into her consciousness by her corporate PC, whose default screensaver featured grass-roofed huts perched over impossibly blue water beneath pillowy pink clouds at sunset. After years of dismissing that dream with an ID and password, we finally decided it was time to make it reality.

We turned to travel planner Kleon for advice on where in the world we should finally make this dream a reality. His answer: French Polynesia, hands down.

French Polynesia absolutely lived up to the dream. Its five archipelagos, comprising 118 islands and atolls, offer more beauty and diversity than we could possibly have experienced in a single trip. If you’re wondering whether you should go, our answer is an unequivocal yes.

However, this trip report isn’t really about French Polynesia. It’s about something more enduring than where to visit. This journey changed how we think about great travel itself.

Our brief to Kleon was, in retrospect, remarkably light on details: the screen saver (he knew the one), snorkeling, and about two weeks. Despite the lack of specificity, he seemed to know exactly what we needed even though we didn’t. The main elements of the itinerary came together quickly: a beach bungalow in Moorea, a private yacht charter in Raiatea, taking us to fulfill the OWB dream in Bora Bora. We were then left to labor over the activities and we checked off several, perhaps too many.

The logistics quickly faded into the background—which is exactly what great travel planning should do. Every transfer, ferry, flight and check-in happened seamlessly, allowing us to focus on experiencing French Polynesia rather than navigating it.

The first stop in Moorea was the introduction. It gave us time to decompress, learn about history, customs, and get comfortable in the water. We practiced snorkeling in the crystal-clear lagoon just steps in front of our bungalow. It was an intentional moment to acclimate and prepare us for what was to come.

The yacht charter turned out to be the emotional heart of the trip. What we anticipated as an extravagant means of travel to Bora Bora turned out to fundamentally and unexpectedly changed how we wanted to experience the remainder of our vacation. Nowhere in the itinerary did it mention a pod of dolphins escorting us to Bora Bora, swimming with sharks beneath our anchored yacht, drifting past motus with our captain as a private guide, watching a majestic manta ray emerge from the depths, or dining on freshly caught tuna delivered directly to the boat. Nor did it mention that we’d witness some of the most beautiful sunsets of our lives.

The final days in Bora Bora naturally became about reflection rather than more adventure. The charter had already given us more than we knew we were looking for, and with it came an unexpected desire to slow down. The OWB became our quiet, barefoot sanctuary—a place to linger, enjoy the surroundings, each other’s company, and savor everything we had experienced.

The overall arc of the trip turned out to be one of its greatest strengths. Looking back, it naturally evolved from acclimatizing, to adventure, to reflection. That progression felt deeply satisfying and reinforced for us that successful travel is as much about emotional pacing as it is about extraordinary experiences.

That’s the lesson we’ll carry into every future journey: the best trips are the ones where every chapter unfolds exactly when it should.

Sri Lanka: tea plantations, champagne lake cruise, hiking the Pekoe Trail with its designer

PAUL BENNETT AND CATHERINE OLSEN | JUNE 26, 2026

Palms stand tall on Sri Lanka’s creamy-white beaches. Photo: WOW trip traveler Catherine Olsen

Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful & culturally diverse countries in the world. I thought so when I first travelled there in my youth, & I still think it’s paradise. Postcard-perfect sandy beaches on the northeast coast, where fisherman still pull in their nets by hand & go to sea in traditional fishing boats. Granted, development was held back there by a long civil war, but now that’s history & there are an increasing number of beautiful oceanfront boutique hotels, especially north & south of Trincomalee.

We stayed at Jungle Beach & Karpaha Sands (which we loved!) We had the incredible good fortune to have our trip organized by Miguel, an extraordinary travel consultant who spent several hours with us on Zoom calls making sure our trip would be exactly what we wanted. This was not our first time to Sri Lanka. We travelled there 15 years ago on another trip, so this time we didn’t repeat all the cultural highlights but returned to explore more of Sri Lanka’s extraordinary coastline. We did however return to the central highlands, where stunning tea plantations cover the hillsides. We stayed at Tea Trails in Castlereagh & Dunkeld, both beautiful bungalows overlooking a lake, & had the good fortune to spend half a day walking part of the Pekoe Tea Trail with Miguel, who not only created the trail system, but is really great company.

This is also where we experienced our WOW Moment courtesy of Wendy Perrin… a private boat cruise on the lake with a luxurious champagne & lobster lunch served by our 3 man crew. Very decadent!

WOW trip travelers Paul Bennett and Catherine Olsen enjoy a champagne and lobster lake cruise for their WOW Moment.

From there we travelled by floatplane (the best way to view the dramatic landscape & avoid a very long winding road trips) to the south coast, where we stayed at the last house famous Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa designed, aptly called “The Last House.” If you like small boutique hotels on a long sandy beach great for walking (too rough for swimming when we were there in March), then this is perfect for you. Our 3 week trip also included stops at Yala National Park, the walled port of Galle, where we spent a night anchored on a catamaran across the bay & witnessed yet another fabulous sunset. The crew & especially the chef who prepared amazing Sri Lankan feasts for every meal, took very good care of us. If you decide to overnight on a catamaran make sure there’s AC or really good fans!

And finally we finished off our 3 week journey at Bentota Beach in a stunning hotel built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the beach. Bentota is about 1 1/2 hours south of Colombo & the International airport, so you can easily make this your last stop. Our driver Sunil Gunathilaka (who we also travelled with on our first trip & has become a friend) arranged a rendezvous with his family, who we also met 15 years ago. Another highlight.

Sri Lanka is often overlooked by North Americans, but we tell all our travelling friends… you got to go there! And go soon!!

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Japan: lessons with rural artisans, e-biking rice paddies, behind-the-scenes fish auction

Travelers Brad and Janice Baldwin learned to conduct a tea ceremony.

May 4-20, 2026

Fantastic experience! A couple of days in both Tokyo and Kyoto, then focused on more rural Japan on Honshu. Andrea is a very experienced and thoughtful planner. He picked up very quickly that we wanted to see Japan and its people in a more rural setting. Focusing on smaller boutique hotels with exceptional dinners, we visited Toyama, Kanazawa, Takayama, Narai, and Niigata, each region with its own vibe. We were greeted by guides in every city, where we walked the streets, sampling different foods and learning the history as we went.

We e-biked along the beautiful Sea of Japan through rice patties just being planted, met a man who’s building a catamaran to sail home to Australia, visited the tap tap tapping of artisans who were forming tea pots from flat sheets of copper, watched other craftsmen form 16-sided chopsticks, and enjoyed a hands-on cooking class with a lady who shared her secrets of concocting delicious gyoza dumplings. We even donned overalls and boots to walk among wholesalers at the Yokohama Fish Auction and watched their discrete hand signals as they selected the daily catch. Afterwards, much to our surprise, Andrea had planned a sushi breakfast for us to enjoy right on site. From reserving us the most convenient seats on trains to having his guides waiting to whisk us away to another adventure, the trip was like a dream.

Netherlands & Belgium: cycling tulip fields, seeing diamonds cut, crafting Belgian chocolate

Unforgettable Dutch & Belgian Spring: Flawless Planning and Magical Details

My husband and I recently returned from a perfectly timed trip to the Netherlands and Belgium (April 17–26), where our primary goal was to see the tulips at Keukenhof Gardens at their absolute peak. Tom worked closely with me to nail the timing, and the result was a dream I had been imagining for years brought beautifully to life. From the flawless logistics to the thoughtful surprises, Tom proved that he doesn’t just book trips—he crafts unforgettable experiences.

The caliber of professionals Tom partners with is unmatched, which became clear the moment we met our guide, Linda. Knowing how crowded Keukenhof can get, she organized an early start, expertly navigating us through the park so we could experience the gardens efficiently and peacefully before the crowds arrived. Afterward, she led us on a private bicycle ride through the nearby vibrant tulip fields. Beyond her flawless execution, Linda possessed a rare, intuitive thoughtfulness. In the few hours we spent together, she sensed our profound love for the ocean—something Tom and I hadn’t even formally discussed—and surprised us with a walk down a coastal path. I was absolutely blown away to find myself looking out at the North Sea, a breathtaking sight I never dreamed I would witness on this itinerary. The following day, Linda continued to impress, smoothly guiding us through a bustling Mauritshuis in The Hague and introducing us to the spectacular, must-see 19th-century cylindrical painting at the Museum Panorama Mesdag.

Tom’s ability to customize the trip to our exact pacing was equally remarkable. I had requested ample time for cycling, but explicitly noted that I didn’t want a rigid, predetermined bike tour; I wanted the freedom to explore locations of our own choosing. Tom delivered precisely what I asked for. He built in incredible, independent cycling opportunities, from riding through the massive coastal dunes of Scheveningen with Linda, to exploring the serene, stunning countryside and lake areas just outside of Gouda. It was the ultimate way to immerse ourselves in the local scenery at our own pace.

As our journey continued, every destination brought a new, expertly curated adventure. Tom arranged a wonderful day exploring Rotterdam and Kinderdijk with a lovely local guide, followed by a fascinating insider tour of Antwerp’s Diamond District. There, we were treated to a private meeting with a diamond broker who took us into the workspace of an expert diamond cutter.

Our final days in Ghent were nothing short of magical. Our driver, Salah, was incredibly caring, polite, and went completely out of his way to ensure we felt comfortable and looked after. Our city guide, Sophie, hosted a delicious food tour that perfectly balanced history with local flavor, including a fantastic lunch at the popular Mémé Gusta and stops at Ghent’s best sweet shops. She even arranged a private hands-on workshop with a wonderful couple who are master chocolatiers, allowing us to make and take home a bounty of authentic Belgian chocolate.

To culminate this spectacular vacation, on our final evening Tom arranged for a captain and his beautiful yacht to take us on a private, one-and-a-half-hour cruise on the Leie River, to a charming riverside restaurant. Drifting past landscapes that looked exactly like the classic Belgian paintings we see in museums was the most relaxing, romantic, and perfect finale to our travels.

With Tom you are in truly exceptional hands. His drivers and guides are warm, highly accommodating, and speak immaculate English. Because of Tom’s flawless planning, our days ran with effortless efficiency, allowing us to see everything on our bucket list and a world of magical extras we didn’t even know to ask for.

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Panama: cooking with a chef in his kitchen, learning to identify great coffee, volcano at dawn

Private tours gave travelers Mitchell and Melissa Levy a deeper appreciation for Panama’s history and culture.

Panama – Feb 15-Feb 22, 2026

Panama exceeded our expectations, and working with Pierre was a big reason why. He really listened to what we wanted and was patient as we tweaked and retweaked the itinerary until it was just right. We wanted unique experiences, opportunities to get off the beaten path, and hotels within walking distance of restaurants and shops whenever possible. Pierre delivered.

Some of our favorite experiences included a hands-on cooking class with a chef in his restaurant kitchen, learning how to identify and appreciate great coffee, hiking across hanging bridges, touring the Panama Canal with an incredibly knowledgeable guide, and taking a bumpy 4×4 ride up a volcano before dawn to watch a spectacular sunrise while enjoying breakfast above the clouds. We also visited Monkey Island and a sloth sanctuary, took an easy small-plane flight to Boquete, and enjoyed private tours throughout the trip. One particularly memorable evening was dinner “at the top of the world” in a private home, where a husband and wife shared not only an amazing meal, but also their stories and hospitality.

Staying just outside the busiest area of Panama City worked out perfectly. We could walk to restaurants, shops, and the waterfront while still enjoying a quieter atmosphere. The private tours in Panama City were excellent and gave us a much deeper appreciation for the country’s history and culture. The only thing I would have changed is adding one more tour or adventure in Panama City—we’re not the type to sit around, and we could have easily filled another half day.

Our hotel in Boquete was perfectly situated. After visiting a coffee plantation or spending the day exploring, we could easily walk into town for dinner or ice cream, stroll along the waterway, or relax in the park.

Our room in Boca Chica offered the perfect ending to the trip. The privacy, stunning views, infinity pool, and boat rides made it a wonderful place to unwind. We usually find it difficult to sit still and relax, but Boca Chica was exactly what we needed after several active days of exploring.

Thanks to Pierre’s planning, we were able to experience three distinct regions of Panama—Panama City, Boquete, and Boca Chica—each offering something completely different. It was a wonderful mix of adventure, nature, culture, wildlife, and great food. We highly recommend both Panama and Pierre’s planning services.

England: personal tours of historic homes and gardens from their keepers during peak blooms

Historic estate homes and gardens were experienced alongside its gardeners. Photo: Traveler Nancy Footer

June 1-7, 2026

As soon as Karen was added to the WOW List this year, I discovered by reading her trip reviews that I could realize a long-held desire to tour the historic English gardens of Kent and Surrey. Wendy’s team quickly put me in touch with Karen, who responded as soon as I reached out to help me plan the trip. Karen was terrific at meeting my goals —a driver for the week so I wouldn’t have to, a single hotel so I wouldn’t have to change accommodations until the evening before my flight home, and entrance to key historic homes and gardens. And, to my delight, Karen assured me we could pull all this off on budget and at peak bloom season the first of June.

What made this trip so remarkable was that Karen arranged at most of the gardens I toured for me to meet and spend time with members of the garden staff, and in several instances I actually toured with the head gardener. To spend an entire afternoon in the company of the head gardener at Chartwell, the Churchill home, was so special and I could never have arranged such an experience on my own. Wendy and her team always talk about the joy of spending time with locals, and on this trip I was really able to get to know so many famous castles, homes, and gardens through the eyes of their beloved custodians. Gardeners love what they do, love to teach, and are unfailingly generous with their time and expertise—I felt like I made a whole host of new friend by the time the week ended. And while I had my own list of gardens to see, Karen was able to amplify my list with hidden gems that I knew little or nothing about. I’ve found it pays to be open minded when working with a WOW List expert—you’ll discover places and people not already on your radar.

Karen arranged for me to have a fantastic driver for the entire week, and he turned out to be an avid gardener himself. I really enjoyed getting to know him, always felt safe, and well cared for. Karen also booked me into the perfect hotel in Royal Tunbridge Wells—charming, comfortable, with a lovely restaurant and attentive staff. I wanted for nothing while there.

Even if you can’t imagine spending a week touring gardens, I would encourage anyone who loves historic homes, castles and gardens to at least set aside a few days on your next trip to England to spend time in Kent and Surrey. Just 90 minutes from London, you, too, can tour Hever Castle and Gardens, Sissinghurst, Chartwell, and RHS Wisley among others, plus there’s Cliveden and Kew Gardens right outside of London. To be in the presence of such beauty and history is a true delight—even if you aren’t a “keen” gardener, as the Brits would say.

Switzerland: dairy-farm visits, alphorn and yodeling lessons, Swiss watchmaking traditions

Traveler Elizabeth Cassano and her extended family tried their hands at the alphorn (and yodeling).

June 2026

Thank you for planning such an incredible and truly bespoke experience for our multi-generation trip to Switzerland. We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the journey—from the overwhelming natural beauty of the country to the thoughtfully curated experiences and charming smaller towns where we stayed.

The itinerary struck an excellent balance between guided activities and personal downtime, allowing us to both explore and relax. Each experience felt carefully selected and added to our appreciation of Switzerland’s culture, landscapes, and unique character. The guides were consistently knowledgeable, engaging, and helpful, which enhanced every excursion.

Together, we visited a fourth-generation dairy farmer in his family home, biked past waterfalls, admired an incredible 500-year-old mechanical clock that tracks not only the time but also the sun’s daily path and astrological signs, complete with whimsical moving figures. We tried our hand at the alphorn, attempted some yodeling, enjoyed bratwurst, learned about the artistry of Swiss watchmaking, and even explored an old sewer beneath Zurich.

Perhaps most importantly, everyone in our group fell in love with Switzerland. We felt that we experienced the country in a way that went beyond the typical tourist itinerary, giving us a deeper connection to the places we visited and memories that will last a lifetime.

Japan: insider access to tuna auction, chef-prepared mountaintop picnic, pottery studio lesson

Traveler Dorrie Wick tried her hand at pottery under the tutelage of an artisan at Bizen.

We had a fantastic trip to Japan May 10 to May 30th! Andrea planned a thoughtful journey that was filled with both unique and varied experiences. We visited Tokyo and Kyoto as well as the more rural destinations of Togakushi, Tonami, Kanazawa, Kurashiki, Naoshima and Setoda. Our days included temples, shrines, a sumo tournament, a baseball game, cooking classes, artisan visits, market visits, neighborhood and nature walks, meditation sessions and so much more!

The Yokohama tuna auction: We were the only visitors, allowing us to interact with everyone on the floor and enjoy the freshest sushi possible in the employee cafeteria.

Our wonderful 2-bedroom ryokan in Togakushi: Run by a lovely mother and son team. We were spoiled with fresh homemade wonderful food and lots of smiles—totally charmed by the entire experience.

Our spectacular guide, Ori, surprised us with a gourmet “picnic “ lunch at the summit in Togakushi. Cooked on-site by a local chef after hiking and biking around the shrines in the area.

The Bizen studio artisan visit where I tried my hand at the ceramic wheel: But more importantly, we all just loved the casual chat at the studio and over lunch at a nearby restaurant.

I could go on and on… My husband and I enjoyed every day of our trip, but what will stay with us are the personal interactions like these that we were privileged to have along the way.

The culture of Japan in many ways is overwhelming—the caring and thoughtfulness, the quiet competence everywhere, makes traveling in Japan a joy. Thank you Andrea and team for planning an exceptional itinerary and executing it flawlessly.

England and Scotland: fresh langoustine lunch, private whisky tastings, a Highland wedding

A morning fishing expedition yielded a fruitful lunch from the sea. Photo: Traveler Suzy Crabb

Rachael planned a magnificent “Great Britain Wander,” as she labeled it. She was excellent at communicating with us beforehand and understanding what types of things we like to do and see. She arranged all of our dinner reservations for our five-week trip and discussed them with us beforehand. We are very happy choosing to visit Scotland and England for five weeks.

Seeing family was the initial impetus of the trip, and Rachael added many fun and interesting excursions/tours. The hotels were all excellent both in location and setting. We stayed at a farm house with about 8 other guests with exceptional food. We stayed at some inns and former grand homes. Two highlights were our morning fishing with Ian near Torridon and catching lobster, crab, and langoustines, which Ian cooked for us for lunch. We had a private sheep dog exhibition that was very interesting and something we knew nothing about. We had excellent half day guides in Edinburgh and Glasgow. We also really enjoyed having a private whiskey tasting with an incredible lunch at a modern new distillery, and then having a group whiskey tour and tasting an older better-known distillery. There were a lot of details for a five-week trip with a guide and driver in Scotland, and a rental car and trains in England, and Rachael took care of everything.

We landed and were handed a packet with all of our tickets and information neatly and clearly organized. We had a flat tire on our first day of our rental and Rachael and her staff were there for us. We felt completely taken care of, which is part of why we love the WOW List. Our guide/driver in Scotland was fantastic. Andrew was informative (history, Scottish myths and fairy tales, food, hiking) and fun. He was always thinking about our comfort and safety (and letting us know when we needed to dress for weather!) He was a pleasure to tour with for ten days. One day I asked if we could go see a church not on the itinerary and an hour away, and Andrew said no problem. There was a wedding ending when we got there, and since the bride plays Shinty—a sport apparently only played in the highlands—the wedding party held up Shinty sticks for the couple to walk under. We got to mingle with some of the wedding party and guests—the men all in kilts, so friendly—and I really enjoyed talking to all the locals during a happy celebration.

I appreciated Andrew’s flexibility. He knew when to get us places to avoid to the crowds, and pointed out any Outlander sites on our trip. Our time in the lake district, Dales, and Cotswolds was fantastic (other than narrow streets with stone walls right on the edge of the road). Rachael arranged fun tours and boat trips and beautiful places to stay. Working with Rachael and her team was very easy and her knowledge of the area—places to stay, things to see, and places to eat—added a tremendous value to our trip by taking care of details, placing us in great locations, and doing all the work of making reservations and getting tickets to the places we visited and activities we had. Another great WOW List trip for us!

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Austria: private palace and cathedral access, solo Klimt viewing, tastings with vintners

Traveler Rachel Webber and her family have roof access to Stephansdom on a behind-the-scenes tour.

My mother, brother, sister-in-law and I just returned from Vienna. Unfortunately, we had to tax Gwen and her team right off the bat when our flight from Frankfurt to Vienna was delayed, delayed, delayed, and delayed again. We finally arrived more than 10 hours late and without one of our bags, checking into our hotel around midnight. We had a tour of the city scheduled for 8:15 the following morning but Team Gwen was able to get us a later start so we could get some desperately needed rest before we launched into our trip.

Our guide, Gerti, was wonderful company and obviously had very wide knowledge of Vienna throughout its long history. She was able to discuss the Romans, Prince Eugene of Savoy, the Empress Maria Theresia, Mozart, and the Secession movement, as well as World War II and its aftermath.

Our city tour included a visit to Stephansdom, where we were whisked to the roof for a behind the scenes tour with Klaus, who seemed to have keys to every door in the cathedral. Viewing the roof and the gargoyles up close was an amazing experience. We also saw the spaces where restoration work is done and the bell in the big bell tower.

Gerti accompanied us on the following day to Schönbrunn Palace, where we had access to several apartments closed to the public at large. Gerti was also our guide for an early-access visit to the Belvedere Palace, where we were able to spend an hour all alone with the works of Gustav Klimt. We all agreed that this was a highlight of our trip.

We spent a truly spectacular day in the Wachau Valley with our wine expert, Alonzo, where we learned so much about Austrian wines. We enjoyed two wine tastings, a vineyard visit and a delightful outdoor lunch. The following day we were accompanied by our guide, Karyna, on a visit to the Vienna Woods. Karyna was a dynamo and she led us on a private tour of Klosterneuburg Monastery, where we were all alone with the magnificent 12th century Verdun Altar. We had a wine tasting at the monastery and then a delicious rustic lunch at Karyna’s favorite heuriger. When I mentioned that we needed to buy chocolates for our pet-sitter, Karyna recommended a marvelous shop not far from our hotel. We had one more wine tasting in the town of Rust, about an hour outside Vienna. We visited Heidi Schröck & Sons and our tasting there was conducted by Georg Schröck, one of the sons. Meeting the actual wine producer and hearing about the history of his family’s business was another highlight of our trip.

All of the restaurant recommendations were spot-on. We enjoyed our meals, maybe a little too much! Team Gwen also secured event tickets for us in advance of our trip. We were able to attend two performances at the Wiener Staatsoper, as well as Mass sung by the Vienna Boys Choir and a performance at the Spanish Riding School. Mass and the Riding School performances were back-to-back, which led to the only difficulty of our trip. We were told that Mass would last just over an hour, so we should have had 30 minutes or so to get to the Riding School. However, communion was just wrapping up, with at least two more pieces of music to come from the Boys Choir, five minutes before the Riding School performance was to begin. We had to make the most graceful exit possible (which I’m afraid was not so graceful) to make it to the Riding School in time.

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Silk Road: beauty of Uzbekistan from Khiva to Tashkent, with Bukhara family lunch and dancing

Traveler Lesly Puyol sits with her guide Abdulaziz at the Ulugbek Madrasah in Samarkand.

Wow, Wow, Wow!! Extraordinary trip to Jewels of the Old Silk Road in Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Khiva, Bokhara and Samarkand organized by the great Zulya, and having as guide throughout the trip the knowledgeable Abdulaziz. They took care of my trip from the very beginning, helping me and a travel companion organize an appropriate timetable and accommodations in all cities as well as dining experiences. Their choices proved adequate and helped me experience and enjoy the beauty of these cities.

One of the unique experiences was a lunch with a local family in Bukhara. Turned out it was Zulya’s and Abdulaziz’s own family. It was really incredible to be able to share these moments with the whole extended family—we even danced after lunch. At the end of the trip we had initially planned to travel to the desert and stay at a yurt or at a hotel. It turned out that we decided not to do this part because of the length of the travel by road (appprox 6 hours) one day and to return the next day when we had a 5:30 am flight to catch to Istanbul. In addition, there had been some floods in the area. Zulya and Abdul helped reorganize seamlessly the schedule. It was perfect to be able to stay a couple of extra days in Samarkand without the pressure of the long trip to the desert.

My advice, if you want to visit this beautiful part of the world, is to seek the support of Zulya and her company.

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Greece: discovering Nafplio, culinary walks, and a traditional olive mill

The Bourtzi Castle in Nafplio is a 15th-century Venetian fortress in the middle of the harbor. Photo: Traveler Gail Yester

Maria, her colleague Olga, and the rest of the team planned a fabulous trip for us in the Peloponnese region of Greece and in Athens.

Following our VIP pickup in Athens, our driver provided us with a comfortable and efficient drive to the town of Nafplio, stopping at ancient Corinth and 1400 BC Mycenae along the way. We loved Nafplio, a gorgeous seaside town with its turquoise waters, narrow bougainvillea-lined streets, lively restaurants and shops. It is also a living museum of the area’s tumultuous history shaped by Frankish, Venetian, Ottoman, and Greek conquests. A short drive, boat trip or even a walk in almost any direction leads to imposing fortresses, acropolises, archeological sites and impressive neoclassical architecture. We concluded our trip with a short stay in Athens, where our lovely room had a balcony with a prime view of the amazing Acropolis.

In both the Peloponnese region and in Athens, we loved the perfect combination of educational tours, cultural experiences (such as walking culinary tours that introduced us to authentic local foods and an extended tour of a traditional olive mill) and free time. Our guides and drivers were superb and the support and communication with Olga and team before and throughout our trip was exceptional.

For anyone wishing a luxury, hassle-free trip to Greece, we would highly recommend Maria’s team.

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North Atlantic Isles: hospitality from a village of 70, Viking ruins, hiking remote islands

Traveler Jan Heininger at 60 degrees north hiking in the Shetland Islands. Photo: Martha Johnson

Sea Spirit expedition cruise to the Orkneys, Shetlands and Faroe Islands

May 14-18, 2026

My husband and I had planned to take an expedition cruise to the Orkneys, Shetlands and Faroe Islands in May 2026. We’d chosen to go on the Sea Spirit operated by Poseidon Expeditions—the same ship on which we went to Antarctica, the Falklands and South Georgia Island in 2015. We’d loved the ship, especially because it held only the maximum number allowed by international treaty to land in Antarctica at any one time (100 plus 14 kayakers—something most operators don’t tell you). We booked through Wendy’s expedition cruise specialist Ashton. At almost the last minute, my husband was unable to go due to illness and I invited my college friend Martha Johnson to join me. This entailed Ashton getting Poseidon to make a special exception for passenger name change (for a fee of $300). Martha had quite a job ahead of her, since ships require a lot of paperwork, all of which Ashton’s superb staff Megan and Christine coordinated with ease. It also entailed changes in our hotel reservation at the designated Edinburgh hotel and transfer arrangements from ship to the Edinburgh airport.

Our expedition cruise was excellent and I was reminded again of why I am so fond of this lovely ship. As it is not one of the name-branch ships from National Geographic, Lindblad or Viking, it is lower in price and actually has superior accommodations, excellent food, and superb expedition staff. Not only did we see how these very remote islands in the North Sea are today (sheep outnumber their tiny populations by up to 13 to 1), we explored Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Viking ruins—all amidst some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever seen. We were welcomed into a tiny village of 70 people, all of whom turned out for the day to show us how they live, feed us delicious homemade fish stew and pancakes for lunch, show us their school for only four children (3 from one family) guide us on hikes to gorgeous overlooks, and have them tell us how much they appreciated our coming to celebrate with them for the day. Wow.

Ashton is a fount of knowledge about expedition cruises and tailors his recommendations to what clients are looking for. He’s been in the business for 30 years (though he doesn’t look it), has been everywhere (usually more than once or twice) and knows every line and pretty much every ship. We had been guided to the Sea Spirit by a trip specialist on a much earlier list of Wendy’s experts, and since it had done so well for us, I asked Wendy at one point why she replaced that specialist with Ashton Palmer. She said he was even better and moreover, knew the entire expedition cruise industry – not just those focused on Antarctic and Arctic cruises. You want to see Madagascar via ship? Or the Indian Ocean islands? Ashton is the person to consult. You want one of the name brand companies—he’ll set you up. He not only focuses on what clients are looking for, but expands their vision of what might interest them that they don’t even know about.

We had one glitch on this trip when we arrived in Edinburgh to find no hotel reservation, and most distressingly, no local contact to get the problem resolved. (Be sure you are provided with a local contact or someone you can contact at a moment’s notice to resolve problems. And remember the rest of the world is far more accustomed to using WhatsApp than Americans are.) Our hotel issue eventually got resolved and we were reassured when Ashton discovered it was an error made by the hotel—not his company, nor Poseidon, but the hotel itself. Ashton even got me a substantial refund I had not asked for.

You can’t go wrong using Ashton. He and his staff are terrific.

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France: perfectly choreographed days of Calanques cruising, guided hikes, and Luberon villages

Escorted with ease: Travelers Karen Lindfors and Patrick Moore went seamlessly from cruising to Calanques.

South of France and Paris, May 14-June 8, 2026

From food tours to ancient Roman sites to Luberon villages to hiking in the Calanques, our journey to southern France was impeccably planned by Joel. He listened to both our desires and our budget and delivered on both. He suggested lovely hotels which were well situated. We especially enjoyed our four nights at Vallon de Valrugues in St Remy de Provence. The hotel is an easy walk from the village, but out of the busy tourist center. A bonus is that it has an outstanding new restaurant, Oria, that is yet to be discovered, but is worthy of Michelin star recognition.

We also loved our three nights in Aix en Provence at the Villa St Ange, which has an inviting pool and lovely gardens. The sightseeing and tour options Joel suggested were varied and enjoyable. We marveled at how many pieces were fit together to make each day a perfect experience. We chose not to drive ourselves so, as an example, on one day we were picked up at our hotel by one driver, taken to our morning boat tour of the Calanques, then picked up by another driver and transported to a few miles to a point where we met our guide for an afternoon hike, and finally met by a driver to take us back to our hotel. Joel and his team are always available and answered our questions promptly. We would not hesitate to use him again for travel in France.

Spain: Basque bowling, Rioja wineries, Valencia cycling, pintxos bar crawl

A server in San Sebastian illustrates the traditional high pour of txakoli wine to help aerate it. Photo: Traveler Chris Kloes

Pablo helped us plan an 18-day driving trip around eastern Spain. We had a rough idea of where we wanted to go, and Pablo helped us flesh out the details to take it to the next level. Rather than just going to large cities, we wanted to weave in stops at smaller destinations. Working hand in hand, we crafted an itinerary that had just the right feel—stops at several larger cities, as well as lesser-known towns. We wanted our trip to be moderately paced, avoiding too much driving on any given day. Pablo helped us craft just the right itinerary.

We arrived in Madrid and made our way North to Burgos. On the way, we stopped at a town called Segopreserved Roman aqueducts in Europe. And also for suckling pig! It was a great first stop for lunch on our journey

After Burgos, we headed to Haro in the Rioja wine region. We have to compliment the Hotel de los Angeles, where we stayed for 3 nights. This is a world-class 5-star hotel that recently opened in the center of town. It’s in a restored 18th century Baroque palace that is grand, but not pretentious. The room was perfect, with some of the nicest amenities we have ever seen in our travels (the Rowenta ionic hairdryer was the best we have ever used in our life!) Service was top notch and we were very happy that Pablo recommended this hotel as one that was worth the splurge.

We also thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Rioja wine. We decided to compare and contrast a large producer with a few small, independent wineries. The Marques de Riscal winery tour was fascinating—such scale and history! The Frank Gehry building highlighted the blending of old and new at this winery, which is a huge and prestigious producer of wine in Spain. Pablo also connected us with a guide who took us to two very small, independent wineries. We met with the owner/winemaker at both, and really enjoyed the personal connection during these tastings.

We were driving north from Haro when we had one of our favorite adventures. We stopped at a small Basque town called Orduno for lunch. As we walked toward the city center, we passed a large community center that was filled with people. We peeked in and saw that they were playing a game that looked like Basque bowling! The bowlers threw a beach-ball sized leather ball down a U-shaped alley, trying to knock over wooden pins at the end. Families lined the hall, chatting and supporting their favorite team. Everyone was very welcoming, even though no one spoke English. They even showed us the best spot from which to get a photo. And, once we got into the town, we learned that it was a day of festival. Everyone, young and old, was out and about, wearing red bandanas and celebrating the town. Again, we were the only tourists, but everyone was very welcoming. We love this type of unexpected slice-of-life experience on our trips!

We were very excited as we headed to San Sebatian, which is a foodie paradise. The town is charming, with art nouveau architecture and a buzzy old town. The weather was unpredictable but we didn’t mind an atmospheric storm or two. We would have our biggest meal at lunch, feasting on fish and then work our way from pinxtos bar to pinxtos bar for dinner, trying one delicious pinxto at each.

One tip: We’d heard about how charming the small medieval fishing Getaria is. It is in fact very charming, but we were disappointed when we had fresh chargrilled fish at one of the restaurants, and were shocked by how expensive it was.

In San Sebastian we learned about txakoli wine, which is light, dry, and slightly effervescent. It is often poured from on high making for a little show with each glass! We were really pleased that Pablo suggested a 4-star hotel, Villa Favorita, right on the beach. The hotel had 5-star service, and floor-to-ceiling windows in our room overlooking the beach provided and a 10-star view!

Another stop that we really enjoyed was Valencia, along the Mediterranean coast. Valencia felt young and vibrant and very livable. Pablo helped us choose a e-bike tour of Valencia, and we are really glad that we did. Our guide was fantastic, the best of the trip. We rode all over Valencia, contrasting the medieval cobbled old town with the fantastically visionary new park in a former river bed and a well-planned cultural center. The e-bike tour was one of our favorite activities on the trip.

Grenada was amazing, as we expected. Our guided visit to the Alhambra was fascinating, and we enjoyed learning about the Moorish history and architecture of the city. We had our standout meal here at a teeny restaurant called Albidaya, owned and run but an up-and-coming star chef named Michelin Bib Gourmand. The location is a bit off the main area, but the food was out of this world! We had a fantastic, creative six-course tasting menu, which was a blend of Andalusian and Moroccan influences. We had amazing wines paired with each dish, and the service was very attentive. Finally, we were amazed that such a spectacular meal with wine pairing would be less than 70 Euros each!

Our last stops were in smaller towns as we slowly drove back toward Madrid. We spent one night in Jaen, the olive capital of Spain. We stayed in a parador high above the city that once was a castle. There were olive trees as far as the eye could see, in all directions. We also stopped one night at the small town of Almagro to break up the drive to Madrid. We stayed in a very quirky and fun hotel here called the La Casa del Rector and Spa. This is the kind of place we would have never found without Pablo. The town had a lovely square and we spent our last night dining alfresco with all of the town locals who were out and about for the evening.

We definitely recommend Pablo to those looking for a bespoke travel experience!

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Italy: e-biking through Puglia, burrata farm visit, olive oil tasting with grove’s owner

Travelers Anne and John McCroskey biked Puglia’s country roads past olive groves and the region’s iconic trulli houses.

Hi! My husband and I had a wonderful trip to the Puglia region of Southern Italy May 10-26th. Antonello planned our trip and Valeria was our lead contact. They did a fantastic job. Valeria always responded to our emails and questions promptly and thoroughly. My husband and I love being active on our trips, and they did a great job listening to us and getting to know what we like (and don’t like), tailoring a great trip. We loved all our hotels and their locations were great.

Our trip experiences:

-We did an e-bike excursion, “Puglia on Wheels,” with a burrata experience that was super fun. Gaetano was a magnificent guide and host, very flexible and patient (we usually don’t do “guided” bike rides but this was well worth it). Not only did we ride to the burrata cheese farm but we went to Alberobello, the town known for its unique Trullis and we also stopped at Locorotondo, a beautiful little village perched up on a hill…so fun exploring its tiny streets and shops. This was one of our favorite days!

We rented bikes for our next two destinations as well, and they transported them to our hotels where they were waiting for us ready to go…so nice! Gaetano also mapped out some great “self-guided” rides for us to do on our own out of Lecce and Minervino which were wonderful.

-We had an Olive Oil experience at Masseria Salamina that was lovely, interesting and fun. Our host/guide was the actual owner which was cool.

-Our guided tour of Matera was very informative and made our visit to this unique city more meaningful and interesting.

-Probably our favorite experience was the “Culinary journey/Baby DiCecca. It wasn’t crowded that day and we got some personal attention from the owner Vito and his girlfriend, Roberta. All the food and wine were amazing. Apparently Stanley Tucci visited here when making his show about food in Italy.

-Sadly both of our “water” excursions had to be cancelled because of high wind (boat tour to sea caves out of Polignano a Mare and a kayaking/snorkeling afternoon). The water was really cold so I don’t think we would have snorkeled anyway. I guess Puglia is a windier region.

One other thing that Valeria did for us that was very helpful (and unexpected) was that she gave us parking suggestions in all the towns we visited. Many of the towns can be tricky to park in and these suggestions made things so much easier!

We would recommend Antonello’s team to anyone wanting to visit Puglia!

Spain: coastal hike with winery stop, exploring pork and cheese production with Basque farmers

Traveler Chris Zufelt and her husband Brian enjoy a coastal hike with a view of Biarritz.

We loved our late May visit to San Sebastian and Bilbao, organized by Pablo. We have visited many places in Spain, but not these, and we were very satisfied both with the beautiful places and the hotels and experiences that Pablo had planned for us.

His hotel recommendations—the Hotel Maria Cristina in San Sebastian, and The Artist Grand Hotel of Art in Bilbao—were spot on, especially his recommendation to get rooms with a view. River views in San Sebastian and Guggenheim views in Bilbao, along with extremely comfortable rooms and excellent staff, made these lovely places to stay.

We had four different day trips in San Sebastian, including a scenic coastal hike with a much-enjoyed winery stop mid-hike to enjoy the local txakoli wine. We stumbled across a local Basque celebration on that hike. So fun! We travelled to the French Basque country another day, including Biarritz. Another enjoyable day was spent visiting the Basque Highlands, a beautiful rural area where we visited award-winning pork and cheese producers who showed us their farms, explained their centuries-old production methods and we enjoyed tastings of it all.

Our various guides—Ellie, Maria and Vicky—were all friendly and informative. With their guidance, we tried many of the best pinxtos (San Sebastian’s version of tapas) on offer! And our excellent driver Inigo was with us the whole time.

Without Pablo’s suggestions, we wouldn’t have found the guides or the out-of-the-ordinary experiences. We thoroughly enjoyed this mini vacation and are very glad to have had Pablo’s help.

France: private Burgundy barge, wine and cheese tastings, biking medieval villages

JOANNE DEARTH AND GREG BEAN | JUNE 5, 2026

Travelers Joanne Dearth and Greg Bean gear up for a day of biking the Burgundy countryside.

What an amazing travel experience we had that was planned by Caroline and Ellen’s team. We had looked into taking a river cruise on a large boat, but the occupancy for the months we wanted was full. We contacted them to get information about what they could offer. A Zoom conference call was quickly set up, and the travel planner explained the options available for a barge tour on the Nivernais Canal in the region of Burgundy, France.

We settled on the Papillon, a “small barge” that can host four. We booked the barge for just the two of us, which gave us privacy and a chance to enjoy the experience together. The travel planner had everything arranged—from the pickup at Charles de Gaulle Airport to take us to the Papillon to the return to Paris at the conclusion of our travels. The communications with the planner were thorough and personal; our added requests were fulfilled. The Captain was even able to drive to a town to buy Gatorade and Coke Zero which were there upon our arrival.

The Papillon was perfect. I had expected to see a small boat, but the barge was 90′ long and was spacious, beautifully decorated, and comfortable. The crew was exceptional! Our captain Philippe was outgoing, attentive, and energetic; our chef Clare prepared outstanding gourmet meals for lunch and dinner, our guide Harry was personal and well-educated, and our hostess Olga quietly served us and kept the interior spotless. For those who fear getting seasick, have no worries. The cruise is smooth and relaxing.

We enjoyed all of the activities. We were able to take excursions, walks, and bike rides, or sit on the deck or in the sitting room to relax. The quiet countryside views were beautiful; how wonderful it was to be surrounded by large trees, farmland, vineyards, and small towns. We especially enjoyed touring the medieval towns and seeing the historic architecture. Highlights include the Basilica in Vézelay with the intricate, interesting carvings above the entrance; Vauban’s military estate with the coat of arms genealogy display ; the quaint and quiet medieval towns where some buildings were smaller at the bottom and were built wider as they rose higher because of the shortage of property; the cliffs made of coral that were covered by the ocean and tropical vegetation during the Jurassic Period; the expansive vineyards with the grape vines observable in all stages of growth; the medieval cathedrals, cobblestone roads, and old-fashioned fire pumps. Might I add that we are geocachers, and we had fun finding the hides along the cruise as we walked and biked while exploring the areas. Highlights not to forget were the wines and cheeses from Burgundy; Philippe presented informative facts about each wine, and Olga explained the flavors and types of the cheeses. Philippe treated us to a memorable dinner at L’Elegant in Vézelay.

Our cruise started in the quiet town of Chevroches and ended in Auxerre, a lively historical village. There are benefits of starting at either town; our departure site was perfect for us.

Without hesitation, I would recommend Caroline and Ellen’s team and this tour. We were so fortunate to explore the canals in the private accommodations of the Papillon rather than being aboard a large cruise ship. This trip was planned so expertly that we had no worries about the logistics of our tour.

Peru: meeting women weavers, ancient Pachamanca lunch, guided Machu Picchu and Vinicunca hikes

Traveler Anne Dhanda and her daughter Isabella Remor on Mount Vinicunca at 17,000 feet.

My daughter Isabella and I just returned from a wonderful mother-daughter trip to Peru. With our WOW List travel planner Tom, we arrived the last week of May and had perfect sunny 70+ degree days and no rain. Tom matched us with amazing guide Romulo, and his stories of Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Cusco, and Vinicunca (rainbow mountain) made it unforgettable. We wanted to learn about the textiles of Peru, and Tom designed a trip which included a community of women weavers, where we saw where natural dyes come from, and patterns from different parts of the country. Now that we are home, the natural dyes look even more rich and luminous. We were treated to a Pachamanca lunch, an ancient technique of cooking in an earth pit with volcanic rocks, at a Sacred Valley lake—delicious, as was all the food in the Sacred Valley and Peru in general.

After a couple days of smaller hikes and acclimating to the altitude, we were ready to hike into Machu Picchu. The one-day hike was more rigorous than we imagined, but there was nothing in our lives like emerging from the jungle, up the last set of stairs (another traveler told us it’s called “the gringo killer”) to see Machu Picchu for the first time! That moment will stay with us forever. Our guide Romulo grew up on a farm below the city and shared many special stories from his grandparents—what a unique experience. Staying at the Belmond gave us an early start into the ruins, and a place to rest and eat, to re-enter later, and the staff there was gracious and helpful.

We loved our time in Cusco, with its incredible Incan history and sites. Our stay at the Belmond Monasterio Hotel was perfect—we walked out to local shops and designers, and enjoyed the street market to buy chocolate, muña tea, and aromatic salts to bring home to friends. Overall, we had such a lovely time that we’re already talking about what we could do when we return to Peru! Many thanks to Tom for designing a great trip and to our outstanding guide Romulo and his team.

Italy: cooking in a Roman home, private Prosecco canal tour win over a reluctant-traveler spouse

Travelers Maggie and Eric Kuhn on a private water taxi tour of the Grand Canal in Venice.

Our trip to Rome and Venice was great! Maria and her team did such a great job organizing all the details, pickups, guides, and hotels. I wish we could have traveled two weeks earlier, as the crush of tourists was already in gear. The cooking class was very special; it was nice to be in a Roman home and cooking in a real kitchen. The WOW Moment in Venice was fantastic—the private water taxi tour of the Grand Canal with a guide was a real highlight.

I was so worried that my husband (a nontraveler) would not enjoy the trip, but he came back very excited about what he saw and all of our experiences. Day to day, our experiences were seamless and ran very smoothly. I do believe the travel planner did add value to our trip. Her guides were very good and all details worked like clockwork. I would definitely use Maria and her team again!! Thank you for recommending them, Wendy!

Spain: market-to-table cooking with a chef, winery visit in Penedès, e-biking Barcelona

Our trip to Spain was incredible! Without Wendy Perrin, we would not have known about some of these treasures we discovered along our journey. Every aspect—from time spent in each city to tours of the highlights and significant destinations—our time was well managed and we could not have planned this ourselves. We did e-biking in Barcelona, saw Gaudi’s architecture in many buildings, La Sagrada Familia (a must see!), and took a day trip to Montserrat (also a must!) and Penedès. Penedès with our guide David was so special. Visiting a winery, having an unforgettable experience with the locals, enjoying the scenic views and sharing great wines will always be one of our fondest memories.

In Sevilla, we enjoyed our tours and most of all our day with a chef, shopping at the local market and then cooking with her at her private kitchen. So fun! A day trip to Cordoba to visit the Mosque-Cathedral was awe-inspiring. From there we had a driver take us to Ronda where we saw so much storied history and breathtaking views.

After a wonderful lunch we continued on to Malaga—a beautiful beach town with day trip to see Mijas and Marbella. Our advice…don’t miss these smaller towns with so much tradition and history. You will not regret it!

Indonesia: tea with a village chief, traditional whip dance, Komodo dragons without crowds

Traveler Christine Stoll and her husband watched a traditional whip dance in the village of Manggarai.

We knew very little about Indonesia other than it has a rich culture, beautiful scenery, and Bali. So when Tom Baker suggested a trip there, we thought about five minutes and said, “Yes.” This began a trip full of experiences and memories. But, how could you begin to see a country made up of over 17,000 islands? Tom planned an itinerary as varied as the country we were visiting.

Once committed, Tom directed us through the maze of paperwork necessary for our trip. We needed visas, arrival cards, and an “I Love Bali” payment receipt. With the right guidance, all worked smoothly on arrival. The trip began in Yogyakarta where our first meal was a Rijsttafel dinner with Jodhang ceremony. It was our first encounter with the warm and welcoming Indonesians who encouraged me to “play” their instruments after the ceremony. The next day we were escorted to some of the most important sites in the city.

Day 3 changed our whole trip. What follows is the reason the right trip advisor can be indispensable in an emergency. As we were climbing up the 127 steps of Borobudur Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, my husband fell on step #126 and got a nasty, nasty wound on his shin. Instantly our guide moved into action. The only thing available to deal with the bleeding was the guide’s emergency ponchos and string. Pretty ingenious. As we worked our way to the bottom of the steps, we were met by a cart that delivered us to the first aid building where we declined an ambulance. The care was clean and efficient.

Even though we declined further emergency care, Tom recognized that my husband needed to be seen by a doctor. We were flying the next day to Ubud. Tom arranged for us to be picked up in a private car where we were taken to a clinic near our hotel. We found out later that the local trip advisor had researched a clinic that could handle wound care and that had doctors who spoke excellent English, even though a guide was there to translate. We ended up going back to that clinic three times for the wound to be dressed. The end of that part of the story is that, since we have returned to the U.S., two doctors have confirmed that my husband received excellent care in Indonesia. Tom and his team are to be highly commended for their quick action and best use of the resources available. Ours is a story of how you need, in Wendy’s words, a “Local Travel Fixer.” We used a team of fixers and are thankful for them.

Of course, this put the brakes on the water portion of our trip. Even though we couldn’t snorkel or swim in the beautiful pools, there was much to love. Our hotel in Ubud was spectacular with gorgeous views and an outside shower complete with a monkey audience. A walk through the rice terraces gave an appreciation for the hardworking people of Indonesia.

A short flight took us to the Labuan Bajo where our guide took us to his mountain village. There we shared tea with the village chief in his home and watched their traditional whip dance and Rangku Alu, a rhythmic dance with bamboo poles. As the sun set, it was magical.

A highlight of the trip was a speedboat ride out to an island in Komodo National Park. The plan was to go to a smaller, but more remote island than the one where the crowds were. We were almost alone with those dragons, save the park rangers! They are truly nasty creatures, but fascinating. It was a thrill for us as we’ve made seeing animals in the wild a travel goal.

Our hotel at Ayana Komodo Waecicu Beach was stunning, with gorgeous sunsets on the dock and a terrace dinner that was delicious.

We were so pleased with Tom’s planning, from hotels to meals to activities. But, of course, we most appreciated his professionalism in supporting my husband’s health emergency. It certainly pays to have an advisor with experience and a personal touch.

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Turkey: Ephesus with an archaeologist, private Bosphorus cruising, culinary tour in Pera

Traveler Gail Yester, her husband, and their friends were “impressed by everything” on their excursions.

Karen and her team created an unforgettable trip for us in Türkiye. We were two couples who landed in Istanbul for four nights and five days prior to a cruise down the west coast of Türkiye and into the Greek Isles.

The VIP treatment started immediately when we landed in Istanbul, with a warm welcome and pickup at the airport, being whisked through the airport terminal and immigration, and then driven to our beautiful hotel in the Old City.

Asli, our lovely and very knowledgeable guide, took us on varied multi-day tours in various parts of the city, including the Old City (the famous Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, the surprisingly beautiful Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul’s fabulous spice market, a private boat ride and tour to the Asian side, and finally a culinary tour in Pera and Galata). Thanks to Karen’s deep connections in Istanbul, we had a very enjoyable time at a high-end Türkish rug shop and a specialty Türkish kaftan/scarf maker as well as several delicious authentic meals at local restaurants.

Karen and her team thought of everything. In our hotel room when we arrived was a gift bag, filled with treats and helpful items—even head scarves and shoe bags for our use in the mosques.

After we boarded our cruise ship, we had two more stops in Türkiye where Karen and her team organized wonderful private tours for us. On the first one, we spent a fabulous day on the Dalyan River (Gocek, Türkiye) where we were so taken by the ancient tombs carved into the hills above the river bank. We had one of our best authentic Türkish lunches at La Boheme, a marvelous local restaurant on the river. Our second stop was in Didum, Türkiye, where we visited the incredible Ephesus. We pinched ourselves when we learned the guide that Karen had arranged for us was an archeologist and professor who had actually worked at Ephesus for many years. We hadn’t known what to expect in Gocek or Didum, but both of these locations provided very memorable and educational experiences, and we were so happy we went with our own private guided tour versus the ship excursions.

We were so impressed with everything—the hotels, the restaurants, the guides, the drivers and of course, beautiful Türkiye itself. We never doubted that we were in great hands at all times, and we all agreed it was definitely the way to go. Many thanks to Wendy for introducing us to Karen, and to Karen and her team for planning what will go down as one of our favourite trips.

Sweden and Denmark: royal yacht cruising, private court theater tour, backstage at Tivoli

Travelers Tony Ford-Hutchinson and Jane enjoyed a private tour of the court theater at Drottningholm Palace.

A board meeting in Helsinki opened the door to a trip to Sweden and Denmark, two countries we had yet to explore. Jan and Miriam developed a wonderful itinerary for Stockholm and Copenhagen. In Stockholm we spent five nights at the magnificent Grand Hôtel, ideally located with sweeping views of the Royal Palace from our room. The outstanding guide Jan chose for our walking tour, Karin, works at the National Museum, which allowed her to take us through its highlights with exceptional insight.

Another highlight was the island of Lovön in Lake Mälaren, where we visited the Royal Palace of Drottningholm and enjoyed a private tour of the 18th-century court theater. Our final day brought a boat trip through the Stockholm Archipelago aboard the wooden M/Y Merceditas, originally built for Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco.

In Copenhagen we had our WOW Moment: a visit to Tivoli Gardens, the oldest amusement park in the world, where our guide was Anne, the art consultant for the gardens. The true highlight was a backstage tour of the famous Pantomime Theatre, built in 1874, led by one of the dancers in the troupe.

An important part of the trip for us was exploring the best of Nordic cuisine, and Miriam made restaurant reservations that alternated between high-end and more local venues. The standout was Geranium in Copenhagen, where we enjoyed a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings. Its wine list was among the most extensive I have ever seen. Where else could one purchase a large-format bottle of 1982 Screaming Eagle for a mere $78,000? Fortunately, the wine pairings were offered at four price levels, and even the lowest tier included several excellent wines.

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Italy: private pesto lesson, secret paths through Cinque Terre, mountaintop farm dinner

Cinque Terre explorations were a highlight of visiting the Italian Riviera. Photo: Traveler Adam Amsterdam

Our niece was getting married in Langhe wine country in the Piedmont region of Italy. Having never visited that region before, we decided to make a full-blown trip out of it and turned to Andrea and her team for ideas. They recommended exploring Liguria, which neighbors Piedmont, and we are so glad we did.

We stayed in Santa Margherita Ligure at the Grand Hotel Miramare. It’s a gorgeous grand hotel that has been updated with every modern convenience. We were upgraded to a gorgeous suite with a balcony overlooking the Ligurian Sea. Santa Margherita is the perfect home base from which to explore the Italian Riviera. Our driver Nicola, who picked us up from the airport and took us to all of our planned activities, is a native of Santa Margherita. He made excellent restaurant, gelato, and shopping recommendations, and could not have been more helpful. During our stay on the Italian Riviera we visited Portofino, the Cinque Terre, and Rapallo. Our guide for our day in the Cinque Terre was Filippo, a local who knew all of the small back streets in Cinque Terre that allowed us mostly to avoid the crush of tourists. Filippo took us to a great restaurant in Vernazza for lunch, perched on a cliff right over the sea. In Rapallo we had a private food tour with Guido, who owns a beautiful shop near the marina that sells wine, dried pastas, olive oils, cheeses, vinegars, etc. Guido gave us a hands-on lesson making authentic Pesto alla Genovese. We were supposed to have had a full-day private boat tour of the Italian Riviera, but the sea was too rough the day it was scheduled. The cancellation gave us more time to explore Santa Margherita.

Our WOW Moment was on our last night in Liguria. Nicola picked us up at our hotel and drove us to Portofino, where we got into what appeared to be a miniature van that took us on narrow roads and paths about 800 feet up a mountain overlooking Portofino. We got out of the vehicle and hiked up even narrower paths until arriving at La Portofinese, an eco-farm, hop plantation, and winery. We were served a private dinner at a beautifully set table with spectacular views. About 90% of what we ate came from the farm, including the wine, beer, fruit, vegetables, and honey. It was magical and exactly what you imagine when you think of a WOW experience. We couldn’t have hoped for a better way to cap our visit to Liguria.

The rest of our trip centered on our niece’s wedding. We met other members of our family in Turin for a few days before heading to Monforte d’Alba, the wedding venue. Even though we didn’t need Andrea’s team to plan any activities or experiences in Turin or Monforte d’Alba, they did arrange hotel reservations for my wife and me, plus our adult children at the Hotel Principi di Piemonte. Andrea’s team really went above and beyond by arranging for drivers to take our children and us to the various activities connected to the wedding (wine tasting, rehearsal dinner, the wedding itself, and a day-after gathering). Andrea’s team knew that Ubers and taxis and rare in Monforte d’Alba so arranging for drivers was perfect.

Another five-star trip planned by Andrea and her Italy-based team!

Australia: cave barbecue with champagne, helicopter to Mitchell Falls, pearl farm visit

Travelers John and Susan Mueller are joined by their planner Jacki on zodiac explorations.

We just returned from an exploration of the Kimberly coast of northwest Australia aboard the 30 passenger Paspaley Pearl luxury ship arranged for us by Jacki and her team in Sydney. We boarded in Broome and visited amazing islands and reefs in the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean (although we could not swim in them because of sharks and crocodiles) on our 10-night journey to Wyndham.

Each day was another treat, featuring the cuisine of Australia, Indonesia and the South Seas courtesy of the onboard chef and his staff. One day the crew treated us to a barbecue inside a massive and picturesque cave on one of the many islands we visited, complete with tables, chairs, white tablecloths, silverware and champagne.

We boarded zodiacs daily to explore islands and the rocky mainland, sometimes viewing rock art painted by indigenous people, or to explore the various colorful bays and rivers. We saw native birds, sharks, crocodiles, trees, flowers and plants. The ship had four knowledgeable expedition guides, including a former Australian park service ranger. The ship also had a tender equipped with the latest tackle and fish finding gear, which was available for use along with a former professional fisherman as a guide.

The rainy season had just ended, but the waterfalls were spectacular. We took a helicopter from a white sand beach up over the outback to the top of Mitchell Falls, where we viewed the four tier falls and then swam briefly in a small pool. Another day we took zodiacs to the bottom of the double King George falls. We also experienced the massive movement of water from the tide changes at Horizontal Fall.

Along the way we visited a remote pearl farm operated by Paspaley to hear about the intricacies and techniques of growing pearls in the Indian Ocean, watch a pearl being harvested, and taste meat from the oyster.

We felt as though we were in a world of our own because we saw few other boats or people on our “expedition.”

It all was a wonderful experience. Thank you, Jacki!

Peru: lunch at a desert winemaker’s home, Amazon cruise, Incan treasures with a curator

Travelers Bunny and Bob Lenhard visited the Lamay community, learning about traditional arts and farming.

Our trip to Peru designed by Mark was spectacular from the moment we were welcomed at the Lima airport until we boarded our flight home.

Peru is a country of astounding geographical diversity and incredible natural beauty. We wanted to see as much as we could within 2 1/2 weeks, and Mark created a wonderfully balanced itinerary beginning in Lima, a beautiful colonial city with a fascinating history. From Lima we traveled to Paracas on the South Coast, where we flew over the mysterious Nazca lines, went on a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands for wildlife viewing, followed by a drive into the desert where we visited a Pisco winery and distillery with lunch and a tasting in the winemaker’s home. It was an amazing experience to see vines growing in desert sand.

We then flew to the Sacred Valley for 3 days, Machu Picchu and 3 days in Cusco, and ended our travels with a 5-day cruise on the Amazon.

On each destination, we were accompanied by fabulous guides and drivers who ended up becoming “family.” Every destination was unique and special. In the Sacred Valley we visited the popular town of Ollantaytambo, but left the bustling market for the secluded streets and a marvelous museum experience with the curator, who allowed us to touch and feel the sacred items from Incan history. This was followed by a wonderful outdoor lunch at the museum.

One of our most memorable experiences was high in the Andes, where we visited with the rural people of the Lamay community who live in the traditional way. We learned about their farming practices, weaving, dyeing wool, and participated with them in the preparation of our lunch. We will cherish the memories of their kindness and generosity.

The Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu is an experience not to be missed. The ceremony before we boarded, the singing, the dancing and the food were all extraordinary. Machu Picchu exceeded our expectations in its magnificence and grandeur, and the hotel in busy Aguas Caliente was an exquisite oasis. Indeed all of our hotels throughout the entire trip were breathtaking in their beauty, comfort and service.

Cusco is a gorgeous city surrounded by snow-capped mountains. We were treated to our WOW Moment at a beautiful lunch overlooking the city. After lunch, while wandering around the gardens, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see a sweet alpaca gently resting its head on my shoulder…a magical “wow moment”…. but that’s Peru, one incredible experience after another.

From Cusco, we flew via Lima to Iquitos for our excursion on the Amazon. The Delfin is a beautiful river boat with outstanding guides, marvelous crew, and incredible food. Every day, we had different excursions viewing wildlife, including the legendary pink dolphins and the extraordinary vegetation of the Amazon. We were entertained by many varieties of monkeys swinging through the trees and beautiful birds. We swam in the river, took a jungle walk where we were thrilled to see an anaconda climbing a tree, a huge tarantula, and other interesting wildlife. We also visited a village where we spent time with the local schoolchildren.

The planning team in Peru was absolutely outstanding during every aspect of our trip. Every detail was covered. From the time we landed basically all we ever had to do was show our passports. We never had to worry or even think about logistics, as all was taken care of for us. The communication and responsiveness could not have been better. It is a joy to travel with Mark’s team and we are so appreciative of all they do.

Nepal: Everest helicopter tour with a Sherpa, expert context for Kathmandu’s sacred spaces

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal | Dates: April 17–19, 2026

I recently traveled to Nepal with a friend on a private 3-day tour of the Kathmandu Valley, arranged by Sanjay. For anyone considering visiting Nepal, I completely recommend his team.

Despite a compact itinerary, Sanjay delivered an experience that felt expansive. Highlights included Kathmandu’s Durbar Square and Hanuman Dhoka, the Swayambhunath and Boudhanath stupas, the sacred Pashupatinath Temple, the medieval UNESCO city of Bhaktapur, and the remarkable Patan Durbar Square. Every site was expertly guided, with cultural and historical context that made each visit genuinely meaningful.

The standout of the entire trip was the private helicopter flight to the Everest region on Day 2—alongside a Sherpa who has personally summited Everest. It was humbling, thrilling, and utterly unforgettable. This kind of curated, authentic access is exactly what separates a specialist like Sanjay from a generic tour operator.

Logistics were seamless from start to finish. The itinerary was well-paced, the guides were knowledgeable, and the contingency planning (a built-in backup day for the mountain flight) showed the kind of professional foresight that seasoned travelers deeply appreciate.

If you are considering Nepal, hire Sanjay’s company. Their expertise transforms a remarkable destination into a truly life-changing journey.

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Japan: taiko drumming lesson, Toyosu tuna auction, meditation with a Buddhist monk

Traveler Kathye Faries and her husband experienced a Taiko Drumming lesson.

We spent three fabulous weeks in Japan and had some experiences that we will always remember. The Japanese people are respectful and welcoming. We felt safe everywhere we went—which included large cities and small towns. We traveled throughout the country which made it a breeze. Japan is the cleanest country that we have ever visited—every train station, convenience store, shrine and temple were sparkling

My husband and I had a wish list that included watching the Toyosu Tuna Auction, having a Taiko Drumming lesson, experiencing an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, exploring Japan’s fresh food markets, trying our hand at kintsugi with a master artisan, having a meditation ceremony with a Buddhist monk and learning about his life, enjoying dinner with two geiko (in Kyoto the geisha are called geiko) and seeing Mt. Fuji. Andrea delivered!!

Our guides were knowledgeable and very willing to adjust the itinerary on the fly, which we needed to do a few times due to weather and logistics. That’s one of the values of working with Wendy Perrin and her WOW List experts.

We did not plan our trip to make sure we saw the cherry blossoms, but we were delighted to see them at several stops along the way. Seeing large numbers of cherry blossom trees in full bloom was icing in the cake. Put Japan on your list if you’ve not already done so; it’s a beautiful country to visit.

Portugal: vintage sailing on the Douro, stargazing with a naturalist, market tours and tastings

Traveler Barbara Fierman with her husband and friends walking the grounds of Sao Lourenco do Barrocal.

In early 2020, my husband and I worked with Nuno (Goncalo) to plan a trip to Portugal for the two us. But just before we signed off on it, COVID hit and the trip was cancelled. Fast-forward to 2025 and we started the planning process again, this time with friends. All I can say is that it was worth the wait! Nuno planned a comprehensive but easily navigated 14-day Portugal experience that was just awesome!

From the tilework, street art, Fado, and restaurants in Lisbon and Porto to ancient sites from Jewish history in medieval villages; from a high-tech olive oil production facility in the Alentejo to the Pinhais Sardine Factory in Porto, where sardines are processed today in the same method as in 1920, we learned about the history, culture, and people of Portugal. We toured food markets, tasting cheeses, meats, and the famous Pastel de nata (custard tart); we visited a village known for its centuries-old pottery production, a museum showcasing the prehistoric rock art of the Coa Valley, and the Joanina Library, a baroque masterpiece at the University of Coimbra. We sailed down the Douro River in a vintage boat, sipping our Porto tonico (Port rosé and tonic!) and enjoying the scenic vineyards, and ended our trip along the coast in the surfing town of Ericeira.

Our hotels were top-notch and well-located. Our overall favorite was Sao Lourenco do Barrocal, in the Alentejo region. It is known for its understated elegance and gorgeous grounds for hiking, biking, or just relaxing on your private patio or by the pool. We spent the better part of an afternoon with a local expert who took us on a walk and shared his knowledge of plants and birds. That same evening, he brought out his telescope and guided us in viewing the night sky.

Each of our guides in the various locations was gracious, well-prepared, and engaging. Our shopping and cooking experience was so much fun—and delicious. But the best surprise was meeting Nuno himself, as he was our guide for our history/Jewish tour of Lisbon. After almost six years, it was a pleasure to meet and learn from him.

This trip was arranged by a WOW List candidate. Here’s what that means.

Benelux: behind a diamond cutter’s wheel, classic car touring, artisan chocolatier visits

JACK KOLPEN AND BETH ANN WAHL | MAY 23, 2026

Travelers Beth Ann Wahl and Jack Kolpen take in a “glorious” field of tulips outside Amsterdam.

We are delighted to write this review of Tom, who planned our trip to the Benelux countries.

Tom and his team did an outstanding job organizing every aspect of our journey through Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. His recommendations reflected deep local knowledge, thoughtful planning, and careful attention to our interests and travel style. From hotels and transportation to dining and sightseeing suggestions, everything was seamless and exceptionally well-coordinated.

Equally important was the absolutely outstanding array of guides—and drivers too—that Tom selected for us in each of our destinations. Every guide and driver was knowledgeable, engaging, professional, and clearly chosen with care. They added tremendous depth and personality to the experience and transformed the trip from simply sightseeing into something far more memorable and meaningful.

We thought we would pick out some of the more memorable experiences from the trip, but quickly realized that our entire 18-day journey was packed with memorable moments, making it difficult to separate one experience from another as being “better” than the rest. How does one even begin to compare the memorability of standing in glorious fields of tulips outside Amsterdam, sitting behind the polishing wheel of a diamond cutter, standing before great works of art, touring the Bruges countryside in a classic car, delighting in creations of artisan chocolatiers, to experiencing the sobering feeling of standing in the now-calm Ardennes where so many young soldiers gave their lives for our freedom?

We actually had the pleasure of meeting Tom twice during the trip—once unexpectedly in the lobby of the Botanic Sanctuary Hotel in Antwerp (a jewel of a hotel not to be missed), and again, intentionally by Tom but a complete surprise to us, on the final afternoon of our journey at Laurent Gerbaud, the acclaimed Brussels chocolatier known for his inventive approach to traditional Belgian chocolate. Both encounters reinforced how genuinely invested he was in making sure everything went well and that we were enjoying ourselves.

In many cases, a travel company thanks you for using their services. In this case, we feel obligated to thank Tom and his team for the truly brilliant ideas they gave us for this trip. Tom anticipated details we never would have considered ourselves, and helped make the journey both relaxing and unforgettable. The itinerary struck a perfect balance between major highlights and unique experiences we almost certainly would have missed on our own.

We highly recommend Tom and his team to anyone looking for personalized, professional, and highly knowledgeable travel planning services in the Benelux. Ten stars!

If you would like to read more details about the trip Tom designed for us, please visit my travel blog at youdontknowjacktravels.com.

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Washington, D.C.: Perfect trip for an 80-year-old dad with astronaut-led museum tour, insider DC dining

A surprise awaited at the Air and Space Museum—a private tour with an actual astronaut. Photo: Traveler Andrea Reed

The directive was to plan a trip to our nation’s political capital but keep it non-political! What a task!

Yet Dani delivered in a big way. Dani was so responsive in the planning, you would almost think she was waiting by the phone just for me!

The trip was with my 80-year-old father who had never been to Washington DC, so we thought what better way to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Deciding how to spend 5 days May 15-20th-was overwhelming, but Dani ‘s contacts curated the perfect first-time itinerary with enough variety to minimize “museum fatigue” but also showcased some of the must-see collections.

The arranged transportation provided comfort and spot-on precision for a seamless point-to-point experience. One especially memorable event was the special arrangement Dani was able to make at the Air and Space Museum. We surprised my space-enthusiast dad with a private tour led by an actual astronaut! He was so kind and funny and a LITERAL rocket scientist! It was truly priceless to see him and my dad chattering away.

Oh! Can’t forget about the awesome restaurant reservations Dani got us! From a place where the movers and shakers of DC gather to the spot where JFK proposed to Jackie… all were great in both ambiance and delicious food.

Dani has set the bar high for travel specialists! We are so grateful!

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Central Asia: dancing in family homes, eagle hunting and artisans, a serenade over Qurotob

EDY NETTER AND ASHLEY BROWN | MAY 19, 2026

Watching eagles hunt with trainers on horseback in Kyrgyzstan was “breathtaking.” Photo: Traveler Edy Netter.

How do we (my husband and I) describe our 5-country (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan) month-long trip designed by Zulya and her team, without using so many superlatives you’d think we were making things up? We don’t know how, so all we’ll say is—it was a fantastic trip, one we’ll be thinking about for a long time. Our trip was well-planned: the logistics worked well, the sites were well chosen and our guides, we had one for each country, were either excellent or very good. As promised, they were flexible—they suggested itinerary changes where appropriate and responded to our requests if we wanted something changed. We learned a lot from them and enjoyed their company.

The planning team made us feel like we were the only travelers they were working with. They kept in touch (we were part of a WhatsApp chat which included Zulya and our guides) and provided us with many wonderful experiences. Some examples: in Uzbekistan we visited a family’s home, enjoyed their gracious hospitality and watched their children and eventually the adults dance; a visit to a home where suzanis (fabric, usually silk, hand-embroidered with silk thread) were made and a factory/shop where women made plush velvet garments embroidered with gold thread; at a beautiful tea house in Tajikistan we dined on Qurotob (the national dish made of a flaky bread, yogurt, cheese and vegetables, which was made in front of us) as a musician serenaded us with a tanbur (a string instrument); in Kyrgyzstan we watched eagles hunt (it was breathtaking) and men on magnificent horses play polo-like games; in Kazakhstan we marveled at the first floor of the newly-opened art museum, which had local art and wonderful explanations about it.

Travelers Ashley Brown and Edy Netter don traditional clothing in a Bukhara gold thread embroidery factory.

We learned about civilizations long gone—the Ancient Town of Panjakent (Tajikistan), the ruins at Merv (Turkmenistan), the Ashgabat National History Museum (Turkmenistan), and of course, life along the Silk Road. In the two weeks we spent in Uzbekistan: the minarets in Kiva, Samarkand’s Registan (public square and madrassahs), and Shah-i-Zinda funerary complex and the synagogues of Bukhara stood out. And—the handicrafts and the people who made them were a joy to see and to meet. It was a trip we’ll remember!

A few additional thoughts: We saw few American tourists. I think this is because Americans don’t know about Central Asia and they think it’s not safe. In fact, the opposite is true—we never worried about our safety. Turkmenistan is a strange country, but not as unusual as I thought it would be. Ashgabat, the largest city, is a strange place. At night it’s lit up like Las Vegas; the buildings and the cars are white and very clean. There are plain-clothed police on many, if not all, the street corners. And finally, we saw magnificent, snow-covered mountains in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. We had no idea these countries are trekking meccas!

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Spain: behind-the-scenes equestrian access, private chef by the sea, lunch with a bull breeder

Travelers Sandy Collins and her husband Art with their guide Lily visiting Ivan at his home.

We just returned from a fantastic trip to Spain curated by Ivan. If you’re considering working with Ivan—stop searching. Just book him.

We are experienced world luxury travelers, and this 11-day bespoke journey through Andalusia was one of the most exceptional trips we’ve ever taken. From the very beginning, Ivan truly listened, and what he created was seamless, deeply immersive, and perfectly paced—every moment felt intentional without ever feeling overplanned. We didn’t have to think about anything—just enjoy ourselves.

The itinerary unfolded beautifully across Seville, Córdoba, Granada, Ronda, Setenil de las Bodegas, Cádiz, and the white villages—each destination distinct, authentic, and memorable. Highlights included a fascinating private tour of the Alcázar in Seville, the extraordinary Great Mosque-Cathedral in Córdoba, the breathtaking Alhambra in Granada, and a visit to a private Sherry bodega in Jerez.

What elevated this trip were the experiences we never could have found on our own. An intimate flamenco performance that was raw and unforgettable. A visit to a brave bull breeding farm, where we met the remarkable woman who runs it and enjoyed an incredible lunch while learning about the traditions of breeding bulls and horses. A private chef experience overlooking the Mediterranean that felt straight out of the world’s top culinary circles.

And then, a true WOW moment crafted by Wendy and Ivan—private, behind-the-scenes access at the Royal School of Equestrian Art. As an equestrian, this was extraordinary: watching the horses warm up, speaking with the riders, and experiencing something so rare and personal.

All the hotels were well appointed, beautiful (especially Hotel Seda Club) and right in the middle of towns where the walking, getting to know the locals was such a great experience.

One of the most memorable moments came as a complete surprise. Our guide Lily told us one morning that we were going somewhere special—we found ourselves driving down a quiet dirt road with no idea where we were headed, only to arrive at Ivan’s home on a Sunday overlooking the sea. Sitting with him there, taking in the view, was incredibly personal and something we will never forget.

Every detail was handled flawlessly. We had seven wonderful guides who were all insightful and engaging, and the drivers were warm, professional, and always punctual. The entire journey felt completely seamless.

What truly sets Ivan apart, however, is his care. When I unfortunately got food poisoning during the trip, he was immediately available at 3AM!—guiding us to the right hospital, acting as a translator, and staying with us every step of the way. That level of support was truly remarkable.

This was, without question, one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken with a WOW List expert, and we have over 10+ trips over the years—and a perfect example of what true bespoke travel should feel like: effortless, personal, and unforgettable.

Our only regret? Not making it longer.

Thank you so much Ivan!

Vietnam and Cambodia: a monk’s blessing, picnic amid floating markets, a private concert

Three and a half weeks in beautiful Southeast Asia! Wanting to travel with friends who were also well traveled, we selected an area neither couple knew much about. We’d heard about the Wendy Perrin group through friends, and decided to work with a travel planner she recommended. Enter Ethan and his excellent network of hosts, drivers and local families who made our trip so memorable. Our goal was to learn about the history of these countries, as well as experience their local culture and customs.

Beautiful Vietnam created many special memories: a two-night luxury cruise on Halong Bay; lunch at the home of a retired couple sharing stories of life and family; a private concert using traditional instruments; a calligraphy class; and a Vespa tour through the night market. Ethan’s team did an outstanding job making it all happen with seamless logistics and excellent accommodations.

In Cambodia, we were hosted yet again by an affable guide steeped in his country’s history, and spent several days in Siem Reap. We visited both well-known temples and those off the beaten path, riding bikes through Angkor City; a private cleansing and blessing with a monk and Abbott; a boat ride through the floating markets with a picnic lunch, and watching the art of weaving water hyacinths into baskets. A special treat was a private multi-course dinner in a field while watching the sunset. Experiencing Siem Reap would not have been complete without a stay at Jaya House, a boutique hotel. Thanks to the relationship with Ethan’s group, the hotel upgraded us to a 2-story suite and we were treated like family by the staff.

Bangkok was our last stop, and our fifth host and driver gave us a “deep dive” into the city and Thai history. We started our visit with a private tour of the backwaters of Bangkok in a longtail boat that picked us up at our hotel. Our highlights included honoring all manner of the Buddha: the reclining Buddha, the heaviest Buddha, and one of the highest Buddhas atop The Golden Mountain. Our last day before heading home, we appreciated the flexibility of our host when we asked to rearrange our day to accommodate a visit to a meditation center, an authentic Thai meal, and respite by the hotel pool.

All in all, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We couldn’t have done it without the deep and intimate connections provided by Wendy Perrin and her well-curated team of experts across the Southeast Asia.

Slovenia and Croatia: private historical walking tours, farm-to-table meal at an oyster farm

We had another successful and fantastic Wendy Perrin adventure! This time to Slovenia and Croatia in April. We worked with Ala and Arina, who crafted a perfect itinerary for us.

We started in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Our guides and drivers were wonderful—taking us on a walking tour of Ljubljana, day trips to neighboring towns, and guiding us through a food and wine tour. Then it was a drive through Istria, Croatia, to our first stop in Rovinj. Istria is a beautiful peninsula that we got to experience town by town. From there to Pula, where we saw a coliseum and ruins from the Roman Empire. The history of this area is fascinating, as so many different ethnic groups were in power over the centuries. The culture, food, and architecture all reflect these influences.

Then it was onto Split, where we stayed for 5 days, using this as our home base for day trips. One of the highlights for us was the oyster farm in Ston where we saw oyster farming, sampled oysters, and had an amazing dish of mussels all prepared for us by the local oyster farmer. Our last stop was Dubrovnik where we walked the old city and dined on fish right out of the Adriatic.

All of the accommodations were outstanding—each hotel with its own personality. Food was incredible—farm to table fresh, fish caught that day, local wines from the vineyards. Guides were incredibly knowledgeable and answered our hundreds of questions. Drivers made us feel very safe and secure. Once again, Wendy Perrin had us on a fabulous trip through a beautiful part of the Dalmatian countryside.

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Armenia and Georgia: an unexpected detour through cave villages and ancient history

Traveler Peggy Schuemann explored cave villages while visiting Armenia and Georgia.

Kenny planned an awesome trip for me to Armenia with one day in Georgia, as I transited to Turkey. I had planned to travel to Iraq, but that trip was cancelled due to the war in the Middle East. With plans in place to travel to Turkey following Iraq, what was I to do?

Well, Kenny knew exactly what to do when I asked about Armenia. This is an amazing country full of history dating back to the Stone Age! In only a matter of weeks Kenny had an itinerary set. It included history, culture, hiking, gastronomy, and a real overview of the country. My guide, Gaya, was so knowledgeable and fun to be around. And, Ashot, our driver, was the best. Kenny asked whether, in transit to Turkey, I might want to spend a night at the cave city of Vardzia, in Georgia. I said yes, and if you have the opportunity, you should too! It was just amazing walking up and down the stairs and through the tunnels.

While in Goris to see the ancient sights like the cave village of Khndzoresk, Gaya and Ashot heard that the prime minister of Armenia would be in the town square to deliver an election speech. We decided to go and Ashot was determined that I have my photo taken with the prime minister. Mission accomplished! Not only did I have my picture taken with him, but I also spoke with had had a photo with the President of the Parliament. I highly recommend the country of Armenia!

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Peru: artisans and village life, condors in Colca Valley, exploring Tinajani and Lake Titicaca

Peru, April 2026

Thirteen years ago, Marisol’s company planned an incredible trip for us to Machu Pichu, Cusco and other sites in the sacred valley. Based on our excellent experience, we asked them to plan a two-week trip to areas we hadn’t yet visited, including Arequipa, the Colca Valley, and Lake Titicaca. Our first day in Lima we were surprised to meet the same guide we’d had 13 years ago. John knows everything about Lima and almost everyone who lives there. While the breadth and depth of his knowledge is impressive, we took Wendy’s advice about speaking up about our guiding experience. “John,” we said, “you are amazing, but we can’t absorb any more historical facts. Instead, please introduce us to local artists and take us to your favorite contemporary galleries.”

And so he did, and we had an amazing second day meeting and learning about many of Peru’s under-the-radar artists. After Lima, we spent 5 days in Arequipa and the Colca Valley with our amazing guide Patricia. The Colca Valley is over 11,000 feet above sea level, and although we were taking Diamox, we still had altitude sickness. Patricia excelled at leading us on hikes that reflected our respiratory capacity (meaning easy!) while ensuring we still experienced some of the valley’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. Patricia introduced us to the most photogenic llamas and alpacas, took us to secluded spots to observe condors close-up, and initiated conversations with local farmers and craftsmen who maintained the traditions of their ancestors. The last days of our trip were spent exploring the canyons of Tinajani and the islands of Lake Titicaca. Our phenomenal guide, Abel, took us to Uros, a floating island built on reeds, and to Taquile, a UNESCO site recognized for its weaving traditions.

Our planners have a team “on the ground” making sure that every aspect of our trip, from the moment we landed to the moment we headed to the departure gate, was going smoothly—which it did. Notably, Raul helped us at Lima’s airport at the end of our trip. When we learned that our scheduled 11pm flight back to the States was going to be delayed for at least 6 hours, Raul worked his magic and got us on an earlier flight with a different airline.

While Machu Pichu is Peru’s most famous site, it was on our second trip to more remote areas that we gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for Peru’s pre-Columbian and Inca cultures, in addition to an opportunity to experience contemporary art and cuisine.

Barcelona: a return visit dedicated to passions—architecture, Gaudí, and excellent tapas

Travelers Sonja and Brian Haggert frame their priorities: togetherness and tapas.

Have you ever been to a place and said, “We’ll go back.” We did, to Barcelona on May 4th and 5th of this year. Thanks to our trip planner, Virginia’s colleague Daniel, we saw and did some amazing things.

On our last visit, we marveled at Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia. This time, we wouldn’t be visiting, so our guide, Carles, drove us by to see the cross that now crowns the structure, signifying another step in its completion. Seeing the Gaudí houses was on our list. Carles took us to the Apartment building, which has become a museum. Even some rain couldn’t keep us from going on the roof to see the extraordinary sculptures and view of the city. As a surprise, a porcelain representation of one of the rooftop figures was given to me for my birthday.

There are two amazing sights in the city not be missed. The Palau de la Musica Catalana. A concert hall unlike any we had seen anywhere. Best of all, we got a short organ concert. The other is the original downtown hospital, with its array of buildings, that is now a museum. We tend to marvel at Gaudí because of his notoriety, but his teacher, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, designed these two edifices, and he is much more revered in Spain.

We always do a food tour in any city we visit, and this was no exception. Karin, our guide, picked two of her favorite local restaurants, and they gave us a delicious taste of some of the best tapas Barcelona has to offer.

The city was already teeming with tourists, but when you have wonderful guides like ours, you don’t feel it.

Benelux: private canal dinner cruise, Battle of the Bulge insights, Brussels chocolate class

Traveler Michael Modak and his wife took a chocolate-making class at Neuhaus in Brussels.

Flowers, chocolate, and beer! Just back from the Benelux region. What started as a trip to see the tulips in The Netherlands and the family that hosted my wife when she spent a semester there turned into a wonderful 2-week excursion throughout the region.

Thomas and his team put together their ideas for a wonderfully diverse agenda and after a few discussions, we had a great plan that included sites, museums, flowers, chocolate, and beer.

In the Amsterdam area we enjoyed the city and tulip fields in Flevoland, the Aalsmeer tulip auction, and Keukenhof Park. En route to the Hague we had a great WOW Moment in the diamond district of Antwerp. A stop in the beautiful city of Leiden allowed us to learn about the pilgrims stopping there before sailing to the US. The Hague offered nice art museums as well as easy access to the Delft area and the windmills at Kinderdijk.

Luxembourg offered very nice scenery and the remarkable of Cassis was a welcome beverage. And our time in Belgium included stops in Bruges, Ghent and Brussels. Great chocolate and beer in all of these places. And a visit to Waterloo provided a good understanding of Napolean and his rise and fall

Out of so many wonderful stops and events on the trip, our top 3 would be (1) a private boat dinner cruise on the canals of Amsterdam (2) a tour of the area where the Battle of the Bulge took place, and (3) a chocolate making class at Neuhaus at the Galerie in Brussels.

All hotels were marvelous and logistics were flawless. And the guides were all superb. Very knowledgeable and flexible. I’m keen to give my top rating to Thomas and his team.

Italy: private cruising on Lake Como, winery lunch above Amalfi, cooking with a Florence chef

Travelers Cheryl Cruey and her husband Gary Luckman met their planning team at their office for lunch.

My wife, Cheryl, and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Italy curated by Andrea’s colleague Elana. Our trip included visits to Milan, Lake Como, Florence, and the Amalfi coast. The two five-star hotels we visited—Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como, and Il San Pietro di Positano—are two of the best hotels we have ever experienced.

The highlight of our visit to Lake Como was an invite to have luncheon with Andrea’s staff at their offices in Bellagio. The warmth and efficiency of this group was apparent. Both in Lake Como and Positano we were treated to many hours of cruising to see the sites from the water. True highlights of our trip were a personal visit and cooking class at the home of Stefani in Florence, and our visit to the winery above the Amalfi coast, where we participated in a wine tasting and wonderful luncheon prepared by the staff.

We had excellent hands-on transfers throughout our trip, and as promised, we never had to touch our luggage. Often when you plan a long trip like this, things tend to not work out as planned at times. This trip was perfect from beginning to end and we can’t thank you enough for this wonderful experience.

Colombia: customized family journey through “welcoming” Medellin, the coffee region, Cartagena

Traveler Veronique Padalecki and her family took in the view overlooking Medellin.

We recently returned from an incredible 10-day family trip to Colombia with our family of six, including kids ranging from 11 to 17 years old, and it exceeded all of our expectations.

Our trip included time in Medellín, the beautiful coffee region, and ended near Cartagena and the stunning Rosario Islands. Every part of the journey was thoughtfully planned and offered something unique for both adults and teenagers.

Boris did an outstanding job organizing the trip. He was extremely thorough, attentive, and helpful throughout the planning process, and the company he works with prepared us very well before we left and also periodically checked in throughout our trip. Everything felt seamless and personalized, which made traveling with four teenagers much less stressful.

One of the highlights of the trip was the people of Colombia. Everywhere we went, people were incredibly warm, friendly, and welcoming. We especially want to recognize Jaime, our guide in Cartagena, who was truly exceptional and made our experience there unforgettable.

We also absolutely loved our stay at Sofitel Barú Cartagena, which was a fantastic way to end the trip. The property was beautiful, relaxing, and perfect for our family.

This trip gave our family such wonderful memories, and we already know we’ll be returning to Colombia again soon. We would absolutely use Boris and his team again and highly recommend them to anyone considering a family trip to Colombia.

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Morocco: private river lunch, tile-making with artisans, sunset camel ride and ballooning

We just returned from a 16-day trip to Morocco planned by Hicham’s team, and what a wonderful experience we had. We started the trip with gifts from the company, including a leather bag with our names in Arabic, a converter, leather passport case, and some initial local money (dirhams) to get us through the first days without needing an ATM. We traveled to Casablanca to see the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, then to Rabat where we had a wonderful tour of the city with an excellent local guide. Wendy Perrin surprised us there with our WOW Moment, a lovely private boat ride on the Bou Regreg River with a full authentic Moroccan lunch including wine.

From Rabat, we travelled to Fez and experienced a walking food tour, cooking class, and all the smells and sounds of the medina. We even spent an afternoon at a winery near Meknes, where we were treated to a wine tasting and full lunch under an ancient fig tree. Then, we were off to the Sahara for two nights at a desert camp including a hunt for fossils, tea with a nomad, and the highlight—a sunset camel ride over the dunes. Next, we visited the Dades Canyon area, where we stayed at an amazing property built into the mountains, the Eden Boutique Hotel, which offered gourmet quality breakfasts and a multi-course dinner, and arranged for a local guide to hike with us into the famous Monkey Fingers rock configurations.

Our next stop was Marrakech, where we settled in for five days and visited the souks, Jewish quarter (mellah), a contemporary African art museum with a tour led by the museum’s curator, tried our hand at making mosaic tile with a local craftsman, and experienced a sunrise hot air balloon over Marrakech with the High Atlas Mountains in the distance. Finally, we ended our trip in the High Atlas Mountains at the spectacular Kasbah Tamadot, where we were able to relax before heading back to the US.

Throughout the trip, we were well taken care of by our driver Hafid, who was keen on pointing out sites to us during our long drives. We would not have had the trip we did without Hafid with us, making sure things ran smoothly and that we were comfortable and had plenty of bottled water and snacks along the way. The planning team also chose very experienced and knowledgeable guides to work with us in Rabat, Fez, Marrakech, and most of the other places we visited.

Morocco is a large country with so much to see. Sara helped guide us from the start, planning an itinerary that incorporated all our interests but also considered our desire not to move from place to place too quickly. There were so many highlights that it is hard to pick just one, but for us the sunset camel ride in the Sahara, the cooking class in Fez, our WOW Moment boat ride with lunch in Rabat, the hot air balloon ride over Marrakech, and the tile-making workshop in Marrakech were all phenomenal and just some of the experiences that made our trip so special.

There were definitely a few glitches on the ground in Morocco (e.g., we were scheduled to visit the art museum on a day it was closed; our riad in Marrakech did not have us scheduled for the hammam including massage that had been booked) but, when notified, Sara and her team stepped in quickly to make things right. Though things weren’t always perfect, as they rarely are when traveling, we highly recommend this team as a trip curator. They provided an excellent array of experiences, considered every detail, and saw to it that we were well taken care of. Thanks to Sara and to our driver Hafid, the memories of our trip to Morocco will remain with us always.

Argentina: early Iguazu Falls access (plus kayaking), horseback at “incredible” hacienda

Travelers Clare and Lindsay Lanaux prepare to ride the rapids “and get drenched.”

Paul and Lucinda planned a fabulous mother/daughter trip to Argentina in April. We started off in Buenos Aires, where we stayed at a wonderful boutique hotel, Legado Mitico, in the Palermo area. My daughter took a bike tour of the city. Her guide was extremely knowledgeable about both history and politics. So she had some interesting conversations as well as getting some great exercise. I walked around the Botanical Gardens. We also saw a really great tango show and went to a really interesting wine tasting. Lucinda was able to make reservations for us at several vegan restaurants in a meat-centric city since my daughter doesn’t eat meat.

Then it was on to Awasi Iguazu Falls. The resort is incredible and our guide was excellent. We were able to visit the Devil’s Throat before the general public. We also went on several boat rides where my daughter got to swim under a waterfall and kayak and I got to eat cheese and drink wine. On our last day, we went to the Brazilian side (don’t forget to get a visa before you go) and took a boat ride on the rapids and got drenched under a waterfall.

Our last stop was Rincon del Socorro in the Ibera Wetlands. We stayed at an incredible hacienda in the middle of nowhere. We took nature walks, visited the Ibera Lagoon, and my daughter got to go horseback riding. We loved sitting on our Winter Garden reading books and watching the wildlife roaming the yard.

We had one glitch when our light aircraft was unable to take us to Posadas to catch our flight back to Buenos Aires for our flight home. Paul was on the spot and made reservations for us to spend the night in Posadas so that we could make our flight. Paul and Lucinda also did a really good job of putting together a trip that accommodated both of our activity levels as well as my daughter’s dietary restrictions. We are already thinking of planning another trip with them.

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How are WOW List travel experts vetted?

We are constantly vetting and road-testing destination-specific travel specialists who come highly recommended by sophisticated travelers. First, we evaluate these candidates to determine whether they meet our high standard. Then we send travelers their way and monitor those trips closely. If we receive enough stellar feedback, that travel specialist earns a spot on The WOW List. This testing process takes at least a year, more typically two or three.

What’s the difference between The WOW List and a regular travel agent?

Unlike regular travel agents who try to cover the entire world, the specialists on The WOW List are all experts in a particular destination or type of travel. A trip planned by a WOW List expert will be custom-tailored, wisely designed, non-touristy, sophisticated, and hassle-free. It will eliminate inefficiencies, crowds, lines, and other headaches, and get you priority status, insider access, and VIP perks.

How do Trusted Travel Experts enhance cultural experiences?

Trusted Travel Experts create one-of-a-kind trips full of unique cultural experiences thanks to their insider connections. They leverage those relationships to get you behind-closed-doors access, pair you with the best private guides, and introduce you to noteworthy local people and artisans.

If you want insider access and a custom-designed itinerary, here’s how to request your own WOW trip.

* Although we have compiled and reviewed these reviews for trip planners to earn a spot on The WOW List, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or truthfulness of the reviews we receive and cannot assure that all travelers will have the same experience.

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